What You Least Expect
by endymion015
Summary: Summer's college life is all mapped out. She’s taking the course she wanted, she has her steady boyfriend and friends she trusted. But as she’s about to find out, not all goes according to plan, especially if you happen to know someone named Freddy Jones
1. The Classmate

**What You Least Expect**

- endymion -

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

I would also like to make it clear that I only made up some of the schools' names mentioned in the following chapter, and that I do not know how the education system works in the US so I'll be using the one we follow here in the Philippines. That is, 6 elementary years, four highschool years and four college years (depending on the course). So the timelines can get a bit confusing at times.

**_Note: _**Flashbacks are in _italics_, and have a **third-person** POV. Names in **_bold and italics_** mean a change in POV.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter One: The Classmate**

**_Summer_**

"College, finally," I murmured as I stepped into my first class. Of course I took up business management; everybody knew I would. Even when I graduated as class valedictorian from Horace Green Elementary, I _knew_ that this is the course for me. I might even try taking up law after this.

Prosecutor Hathaway. Hmm. I liked the sound of that.

But for now, it's business management.

Managing the band had been a good training ground for me. I've managed all their affairs from the start until our senior year in high school. We played gigs in the hottest clubs, competed (and won) on several battle of bands, performed live on a few local television shows, and even produced two albums. Everybody in Manhattan knew School of Rock.

A lot has changed since we joined our first battle of the bands. The music matured as the years went by, and so did we. We all went past the ugly duckling stages and survived. We started out as a band, and eventually turned out to be friends. Very good friends.

But on the day of our graduation, we all decided. The band couldn't continue any longer. Most of the members had their own futures and dreams to pursue. Sure, School of Rock still remained a significant part of our lives, but most of us thought that it was time to get serious.

Tomika now sings in theatrical productions. She's new in the business, but I have a feeling she'll do very well. Both Alicia and Marta are trying to make it to Hollywood as solo artists while they held voice lessons in the public schools. Lawrence gave music up completely, and decided to take up Biochemistry. In case you're wondering, he got into Harvard. Gordon is now taking Computer Engineering, given his vast knowledge about computers. He might very well be the next Bill Gates. And oh, he also set up the official School of Rock website. That's how we all kept in touch.

Dewey…well, he took the band's breakup decision very badly at first. Of course, that was to be expected. He was almost a father to all of us. A very unconventional father, but a father nonetheless. We were his family. But I think he understood our decision eventually. He's still going on with the School of Rock After School Program, and is currently dating the mother of one of his new students.

Zack goes to Duvall Conservatory of Music, along with Katie. We're still together, though. We've been a couple for three years.

Rather unexpected, don't you think? Laid-back and quiet Zack Mooneyham, going out with overenthusiastic, grade-grubbing Summer Hathaway.

It all started one evening, after band practice, 5 years ago. I was doing an inventory of the instruments and other equipment, while he fiddled with his acoustic guitar on Dewey's ratty old couch. Dewey went to go grocery shopping, and left the keys of the workshop to me.

_Summer snapped her inventory notebook shut and placed it inside her backpack _

_''It's getting late," she said, glancing at her wristwatch. ''Hey Zack, are you going to finish soon? I have to lock up.''_

_The dark-haired boy did not reply. Instead, he continued to pluck a melody on his guitar. Once or twice he would stop to write something on the notepad next to him._

_''Zack?" she called again, approaching him. Still no reply. She pursed her lips and tried again, this time tapping him on the shoulder. That got his attention._

_''Oh. Sorry Summer. I held you up again, didn't I?'' he said, getting up and started to pack up his guitar. _

"_No problem," Summer assured him, and started for the door. Zack followed her shortly afterward, switching off the lights as he went. "What were you working on anyway? New song?"_

"_Yeah," he replied. "It's a bit different from the others though. Bit of a ballad. I never thought I'd say this, but I think I need a little break from rocking."_

"_Well, I liked it. It's a nice change from all the fast-paced songs we have," Summer told him._

"_Thanks," he smiled. "Hey, I'm starving. Wanna grab a bite?"_

_Summer hesitated. "It's kinda late, though."_

"_Come on, it'll be quick. I'll walk you home, don't worry. And maybe I'll let you be the first to hear my new song."_

_Summer laughed. "All right."_

And the rest is history. We were like that for a while, eating out, catching a few movies, hanging around. He always let me hear his new songs first. Hey, I'm not a good singer but I have pitch-perfect hearing and I knew a good song when I hear one. It's an irony of life. I didn't think our closeness meant anything romantic. I just thought we were very good friends and I was OK with that. At least, until our friends started asking questions.

"_We're still up for the movie tonight, right?" Zack asked Summer as he passed by her locker on her way to class. _

"_Definitely," Summer grinned. _

"_Cool, see you 'round," he said before catching up with Freddy and Frankie. _

_Summer turned to close her locker door, and met Alicia Allen's questioning look. Summer raised an eyebrow. "What?" _

"_What's the deal with you and Mooneyham?" Alicia said, not bothering to mince her words. But then again, Alicia was never one to beat around the bush._

"_What do you mean?" Summer asked, genuinely puzzled. _

_Alicia smiled wickedly, her braces glinting in the dull overhead lights. "I think you know very well what I mean. Are you two dating already?"_

_Summer groaned. "Not you too. Marta and Eleni asked me the same question. No, we're not dating. Why on earth would _anyone_ think that?"_

"_Summer," Alicia gave her a pointed look. "You've been spending most of your time with him, which wasn't the case a couple of months ago, don't think I haven't noticed. Hell, everyone in the band have been wondering what's up with you guys, even Dewey. And Movies? Dinners? Those are prime examples of dates, especially when it's just the two of you."_

"_God, do I need to hold a press conference for this?" Summer said, now exasperated. "Alicia, could you please tell everyone, that no, Zack and I aren't dating. We're just friends."_

"_Whatever you say, Tink," Alicia said, obviously still not believing her._

It took us quite some time and a lot of prodding from the people around us before we realized that we were in…you know. All right, all right. That we were in love. We've been together since.

Having him beside me changed my life. I had been all about grades and schoolwork and achievements before he came along. He was the one who told me about the world beyond that, and for that I'm very grateful to him.

No, I'm not worried about him hooking up with anyone else while we're apart. For one thing, it's not in his nature. For another, Katie would be there to watch him for me. Katie and I became good friends all throughout high school, and I'm sure she'll be more than happy to play watchdog for me.

About Frankie, Eleni, Michelle and all the others, I have no idea what they were up to now. They were the sort of people who…well…didn't really care that much for education.

And then there's me. Summer Hathaway. I'm here in Culvert Academy, the university renowned for producing world-class businessmen. I've been here a week before classes formally started. My parents thought it would be a good idea for me to familiarize myself with the new surroundings. It seemed that there wasn't anyone here who I knew, except for Billy Falduto. Yes, Billy, the band stylist. Although we've never been all that close, I was glad he was here. Having a familiar face in this strange new place is somewhat comforting.

"Hello Summer," he said upon seeing me in the classroom, and held out a perfectly manicured hand for me to shake. "Glad to see you here."

"Same here, Billy," I smiled and shook his hand. Gods, his hands were softer than mine. The guy's queer through and through, no doubt about it. We found seats somewhere near the aisle and sat down.

"I have to admit," I began. "I'm quite surprised you took up Business Management."

"As you may very well know, I would rather major in fashion," he said, fluttering his eyelashes. "But my mother wouldn't hear of it. So – " he stopped in mid-sentence and glanced at the classroom doors. "Well look who else is here."

Puzzled I turned toward the door and felt my eyebrows rise.

"Hey Tink. Fancypants," said a familiar voice.

Standing in the doorway with a cocky grin on his face and a drumstick twirling in his hand, was Freddy Jones.

_(to be continued…)_

* * *

**A/N:** So what made me decide to write my first-ever School of Rock fic? I watched the movie very recently, and immediately became obsessed with it. This has been playing around in my mind for quite some time now, but it took me a while to finally write it. I originally meant it to be Freddy/Katie but somehow, I thought Summer/Freddy would work better. They have this opposites attract thing going on. Rule-maker versus Rule-breaker. And forgive me if there are any grammatical mistakes or typos. I have no beta reader, and I tend to overlook some stuff. 

And why did I choose Billy to accompany Ms. Hathaway in this little ficcie of mine? It's because I like his character; reminds me a lot of Carson from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. I have a soft spot for queers.

I didn't use any of the more popular universities in the US as I've little knowledge about 'em, so I made up my own. It's not important anyhow, just a minor detail.

This chapter is pretty short, but I think the following chapters would be a bit longer.

Any questions? Suggestions? Violent reactions? Send a review and tell me what you think.\m/


	2. Murphy's Law

**What You Least Expect**

- endymion -

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

**_Note: _**Flashbacks are in _italics_, and are in the **third-person** POV. Names in **_bold and italics_** mean a change in POV.

Oh, just for the record, Summer and the rest are all eighteen by the time they entered college.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 2: Murphy's Law **

_**Summer** _

For a moment there, I was stunned. What was _he_ doing here? What possessed Freddy Jones, master of all juvenile delinquents, to even _think_ about going to college?

He didn't _look_ any different. He was still sporting his black Metallica shirt, ratty cargo shorts and Chucks. He still wore that choker of wooden beads, and his hair still looked like he'd been playing tag with electric eels.

"Must you call me that, Wilfred?" Billy said disdainfully, and breaking me out of my reverie. "I have a name you know."

"Okay. _Frilly_," the blond haired boy smirked as he pocketed his drumstick and sauntered over to us. Apparently, he didn't act, nor sound any different either.

"Ugh, you really should take that crummy sense of humor back to the store and ask for a refund," Billy rolled his eyes.

Let me tell you something about Freddy and I. We got along like an extremely irritable cobra and a highly feisty mongoose. We couldn't stand next to each other for more than ten seconds and _not_ fight. He would say some stupid things, which I try to ignore. But he'd keep on prodding and prodding until I crack. He does everything in his power to annoy me, and he delights in doing so. He used to play tricks on me, like hiding my books, or making paper airplanes out of my homework because he was bored, or stealing my lunch for the heck of it. He even went through this bizarre phase of playing with matches and set my History book on fire. At band class, his position way back in the percussionswas perfect forthrowing spitballs at me.Poor Katie, who sits next to me on cello sometimes get hit by the spitballs too. When we got older, he settled for verbal abuse. Or sometimes he'd do the things he knew I hated, like his being late for band practice. So I'd retaliate. Pranks were messy and not really my forte so I settled for blackmail or making his underused brain hurt with my own verbal abuse.We've been like that from the start, and some things just never change, much to Zack's dismay.

See, Freddy and Zack were best buds. We try our best to get along, for Zack's sake, but we couldn't help ourselves. It's instinctive, and it's not good to fight instincts. And I know for a fact that Freddy didn't like the fact that his best friend and I were dating.

I thought those bad days were over whenwe graduated. I guess I was wrong.

He plopped onto a seat behind me and then leaned forward to flick my ear. I folded my arms across my chest and turned to glare at him.

"Why are you here?" I asked straightaway.

"Nice to see you too."

"You didn't answer my question."

"And you didn't even say hi."

"That's not the point."

"I disagree, I think it's entirely pointy"

"Answer the question Jones."

"Which is?"

"What the _hell _are you doing here?"

"_Tsk tsk. _Such profanity, Ms. Hathaway. What would your mother say?"

"Probably what your mother always says when she gets _you_ out of trouble," I countered. "And you're changing the subject again."

He smirked again. "I know."

I took a deep breath and sighed. "Why do I even bother? Shut up Jones and don't ever speak to me again."

He pretended to look hurt. "But I thought you wanted to know why I was here?"

"My mistake," I said crossly. Honestly, Freddy Jones always makes me want to act like I was back in fourth grade.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged and then leaned back with his hands clasped behind his head, still smirking like the idiot that he was.

Darn. Why did I have to deal with him now? Why on earth did Zack have to pick this toad to be his best friend?

And why was he _here_?

* * *

"You mean you didn't know?" Zack said from the other line. As soon as class was over, I dashed out of the room before Freddy could say anything and called Zack. 

"No, I didn't know," I rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't bother asking if I did. Why didn't you tell me he got accepted here?"

"I just found out yesterday and I never got around to telling you," he replied. "He told me he was thinking of taking business management, but I never thought he was serious about it."

"Why though? I always thought he'd be stuck to his drums forever."

"So did I, but I guess you can never tell. Spazz is pretty unpredictable. But that's good though."

"Might I ask _why_ his being here and driving me nuts good?"

"Because someone I trust could look out for you for me. Look Summer, I know you don't like him very much but cut him some slack, all right? He's a good guy, beneath all that cheek."

I laughed. "All right Zack, I'll try."

"Hey I gotta go. I've a class in five minutes."

"OK, say hi to Katie for me."

"Will do. Talk to you soon."

I said before hanging up. Talking to Zack made me feel a little better, and I was ready to go find my next class. As long as I didn't see Wilfred Jones, I'd be fine.

* * *

Have you ever heard of Murphy's Law? Just in case you haven't, Murphy's Law states that anything that can go wrong will. 

It's this law can explain my first few weeks in college. Do you wanna know why? This is why.

First, there's Olivia Warren. She's a student of Fine Arts, majoring in Professional Photography here in Culvert, and she'sthe worst possible roommate at the college dorms. She's a slob, and I _hate _slobs. Her side of the room is almost always a big mess. And she's _weird. _Like she's a member of an unknown, bizarre cult or something. All her clothes are black, and she has enough piercings to resemble a pincushion. Besides her camera (which she never leavesbehind, by the way), her most valuable possessions are all these weird iconsand spellbooks and incense sticks and runes. Worst of all, she snores really, really loudly. I'm looking for an apartment right now, so I can move out. No luck as of yet so I guess I'd have to live with _her_ for the time being.

Second, my classmates hate me. Because of Freddy's insistent attempts at making me mad during Economics class, I suddenly lashed out at him. My professor reprimanded me for disrupting the class. As a bonus, he gave the class an exceptionally impossible assignment. Of course the class wasn't too happy with me. He also officially marked me as the ill-behaved student and took to asking me the most difficult questions. Talk about first impressions.

I thought, OK, that was bad. I'd just steer clear from the people from Economics class. That included Freddy. But then I found out that we were a block section, meaning my classmates from Economics class are going to be my classmates in _every _class for the rest of my college years.

Thank goodness, Billy'sin my class too. He also knew Freddy, and he understood. I think he's the only one who sticks with me these days. He's even helping me with my apartment search.

Then there's also the fact that the girls in my class all seem to find Freddy hot. It's so _typical_. Freddy's the blond bad-ass drummer, and chicks of all ages seem to like that. Even during high school I had to endure Eleni and Michelle's frequent gushing about his so-called greatness. College girls were not that different, except that here in Culvert, they were less aggressive. This is a problem because he's always talking to me (driving me nuts, more like), and I get nasty glances because of it.

But today's a Saturday, and I intend to spend it outdoors, well away from the college walls. The past few weekends, I spent researching and studying in advance, so I'd be ready if ever my professors would try to pull a fast one on me. By now, I've read up half of the topics that we were going to cover for this semester. I was hoping my rotten luck would change over the next few days. I finally got a response to my wanted: apartment ad. I noted the address down in my Palm Pilot and as soon as I hung up the phone, I got my car and left. Billy said he couldn't come with me because his mother was coming to visit him. That was OK with me; I could get some alone time.

"-so I guess you could say this isn't the way I thought my college life would be like," I said into the hands-free speaker. I was talking to Zack on my cellular phone, telling him all that's been going on, as I drove towards my (hopefully) new home.

"You've been through worse, Summer. You'll get over this," he told me.

"I know, but I can't help…" I sighed. "Never mind."

"What's up Summer? I know that tone."

I hesitated, but I knew it's no use. Zack knew me too well. "I can't help wishing you were here. I mean, I haven't seen you in months, Zack. I miss you."

You see, I haven't seen him since he left for a music workshop with Katie and Freddy this past summer. They weren't able to come back until a week after I left for college. I wanted to strangle myself for being too emotional (not to mention sappy), but it felt good to finally get it out of my system.

"I know, I miss you too. I'd really love to visit you, but I have classes even on weekends. But I promise, as soon as I get free time, I'm going there straightaway.

"Well that's good news."

"And Freddy? Is he still giving you a hard time?"

I bit my lip and chose my words carefully. "Well, let's just say Freddy is Freddy. He's pretty much still the same."

OK, so I lied. I did tell Zack most of what's been going on with me, except for the fact that Freddy played a big part of my misery. As much as possible I tried to leave Freddy out of the conversation. I didn't want Zack to think that I'm badmouthing his best friend.

"Hmm." Uh-oh. That didn't sound good. Zack probably read between the lines again. He's intuitive that way.

"But enough about him. What've you been up to?" I said, changing the subject quickly.

He told me about his classes, which included basic music lessons, Songwriting for Beginners and Band. I shook my head with a smile when he said he'd also been hanging with Katie. I wasn't surprised to know that he hasn't made any new friends yet. Ever the introvert, that Zack. We went on talking like that for a little while until I heard my car engine cough. I saw white smoke seep through the edges of the hood of my car.

"Darn," I muttered. "I'll call you back, all right?" I said before hanging up.

I pulled over to the side of the road, got out of the car, and went to lift the hood. White smoke drifted off the engine.

"Shit," I cursed, something that I did only when I'm very cross. What do I do now? I'm no good at being a mechanic.

"Tinky-Winky, don't you think this isn't a very good parking space?"

Freddy Jones is like a plague, I'm telling you. I can't avoid him.

I blame it all on Murphy and his stupid law.

* * *

**_Freddy_**

I changed the CD in my stereo, and chose a song for the road. I was on my way to my apartment, which was only a few blocks away from the Academy. I didn't want to stay in the dormitory, you see. Dorms had rules and rules didn't agree with me. I was nearly there when I saw a familiar silver convertible pull over to the side of the road. The dark-haired pixie who stepped out of the vehicle was familiar too. I decided to check.

Yep, I was right. It was Summer. I pulled over in front of her and got out.

"Tinky-Winky, don't you think this isn't a very good parking space?" I said in a manner of greeting.

"Oh, Freddy, you just crack me up," she said in a false, sweet tone.

I chuckled. "Car trouble?"

"You _think_?"

"Are you this cordial to everybody?"

"No, just you."

"I'm honored," I replied lightly, though I was really considering puncturing her car's wheels. How can Zack put up with this? Why did he even think of going out with her in the first place? She's not even pretty. OK sure, she's looked better than she had back in Horace Green Elementary but seriously, this girl needed to chill.

I remembered that time when Zack first told me on how he felt for the pixie. I wasn't happy, let me tell you.

"_Dude, it's your turn," Freddy said, straightening up from the pool table. He and Zack were playing a warm-up game in their usual after-school hangout while they waited for Frankie, Marco and Leonard. They didn't have band practice until later in the afternoon._

_Zack, who was leaning on the edge of the table, didn't answer. Freddy poked him on the chest with his cue stick, and he glared at the blond drummer. "What the fuck is with you, man? You've been spacing out all day."_

"_It's nothing," Zack muttered, picking up his cue stick and went around the table to take his turn. _

"_Like hell it's nothing," Freddy snarled, snatching up the cue ball._

"_Dude, did you forget to take your A.D.D. medicine or something?" Zack frowned at him. "Put the ball back!"_

"_Spill, Mooneyham, or this ball's going down your throat," Freddy threatened, a cocky smirk playing on his features. "It's a girl isn't it?"_

_Zack sighed, defeated. He knew Freddy wasn't going to let the issue go until he cracked. _

"_Fine, you win."_

"_Always do. So? Who is it?"_

"_It's Summer," Zack said quietly. Boy was he thankful the billiards hall was almost empty. _

_Freddy almost dropped the cue ball. He thought he heard Zack say 'Summer', which can't be right. Unless Zack knew another Summer other than Hathaway. "Huh? Who?"_

"_It's Summer, all right? Summer! God, Spazz, ever heard of cotton buds?" Zack threw up his hands in exasperation. _

"_As in Summer _Hathaway?_" Freddy enunciated. Surely, his best friend was pulling his leg. But when Zack nodded yes, Freddy made a face. "You've got to be kidding me!"_

"_Why, what's wrong with Summer?"_

"_What's _not _wrong with Summer!" _

"_She's not that bad. I kinda think she's cute, actually."_

"_But she's an annoying, grade-grubbing, brownnoser with bad teeth!"_

"_That's OK, I heard she's going to get braces anyway," Zack shrugged, much to Freddy's disbelief. Why can't his best friend like someone normal? Like Michelle, or Eleni, or even Marta? Or anyone else besides Summer? _

In the end, not even I could change his mind about Summer. For three years they've been dating, and for three years, I've had to endure her…Summer-ness. Like what she's doing now.

I would've left her there, but I told Zack I'd baby-sit the pixie for him. And because I was such a good guy, I went to check the engine to see what's wrong.

"Overheat," I said after a while. "Not much damage, but it'll take a while before it cools down. Looks like you're in need of a ride, Tinky."

"Not from you I don't," she spat, reaching for her ever-present mobile phone, probably thinking of calling a mechanic. This is just too much. Here I was, already offering my help against my will, and she goes Frigid Bitch on me. Damn.

"You've got to get over yourself, man. Come on, I'll give you a ride," I tried again.

She ignored me.

Finally, I snapped. "Fine, I give up."

I turned on my heel and started for my car. I'm not sticking around her just so she can abuse me. She could carry the bloody car back to the campus, for all I care.

"Freddy, wait."

Guess she changed her mind. "What?"

"I think I'll take that ride," she said, her voice quiet and her eyes not able to meet mine.

I was sorely tempted to tell her to go to hell and bring her frozen ass with her, but decided against it. I sighed, and went to open the door to the passenger seat. She smiled a little, and went to lock up her car doors.

Man, I'm a saint. Zack owed me, big time.

* * *

**_Summer_**

"And that's basically it," Mrs. Casey, the landlady, said as we ended the tour of the apartment. I nodded, trying to decide. The place was good enough, for a temporary living space. A two-bedroom flat, a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace…the basics. The bedrooms and the living room had some plain furniture, something a little personalizing could fix. Lighting was good, and so was the water supply. For a reasonable price too. It's not much but it's better than that damned dorm room.

"But dude, where's the microwave? And the TV?" Freddy said, wrinkling his nose as he looked around. I'd forgotten he was there. "How will you eat without a microwave and a TV?"

After my car broke down, he offered to give me a ride. I really didn't want to because one: he's Freddy Jones and two: I didn't want to be in his debt. He'd never let me forget it. But I was already running late, and looking for a cab or a mechanic would take a while, so I had no other choice. I locked my car doors and called someone to tow it for me before I reluctantly got in Freddy's black Mercedes Benz. Strangely, the car ride over wasn't very painful, thank God. He just asked where I was off to, and hadn't said a word to me since. He just popped his favoriteRamones CDinside the player and sang along (very loudly) to _Sheena is a Punk Rocker _and _I Wanna Be Sedated_. I thought he was just going to drop me off and leave, but for some reason he decided to stick around.

"I think I'll take it," I told Mrs. Casey, ignoring Freddy. "When can I move in?"

"I'll have the papers processed tonight, come back tomorrow with the down payment, and I'll give you the keys to your new home," she told me with a smile.

"Thanks for your help Mrs. Casey," I shook her hand.

"Oh, the pleasure's mine, believe me," she said. "Young couples these days have a hard time looking for a place, and I like to help."

My jaw dropped, my face rapidly heating up. "You thought...he? And I?" I said, horrified. "No, no, no, don't misunderstand, he was-"

Mrs. Casey waved her hand dismissively. "No plans for marriage yet? Don't worry, I completely understand."

Apparently she didn't. "But Mrs. Casey--"

"I've got to go, sweetheart, I have another appointment in 30 minutes," she cut me off again, glancing at her wristwatch. "See you tomorrow."

And she left with that. I snuck a look at Freddy, to see if he heard any of that. It didn't look like he did. He was listening to his iPod, and tapping his fingers against his shorts. I felt myself sigh with relief.

"Enlighten me," Freddy said when we got back into his car. "You want a two-bedroom flat, but there's only one of you. Why? Planning to ask Zack to move in?"

He looked at me with that stupid grin again, his eyes twinkling mischievously. I rolled my eyes. "No Freddy, I was thinking of having a sordid affair with you in that house with separate bedrooms. _Not._"

"I knew you wanted me," he laughed, revving up his car engine.

"Bit full of yourself, aren't you?"

"Well it's not my fault you can't get enough of me," he said matter-of-factly. As he drove, his arm shot out and went around my shoulders, and he pulled me closer. He looked up at our reflection in the rearview mirror. He was grinning like an idiot, while I looked like I was ready to slit his throat. "Check that out. Perfect couple, eh?"

"Oh yes, in an alternate universe maybe. Get _off_, Jones," I shoved him away, and he laughed.

"Mrs. Casey thought so."

I cringed inwardly. So he heard that. Damn it.

"Oh, haha, aren't you just the born comedian," I said acidly. I had to change the subject, quickly. "If you _must_ know, I was planning on asking Billy to split the rent with me. He didn't like his dorm mates either."

"He's rooming with college _guys_, what part doesn't he like?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.

"He said they were too rowdy," I replied. Queer as he might be, Billy was still very much refined. He likedto refer to himself as a 'woman trapped in a man's body'.

"He's been our band stylist for years, and he's still not used to a rowdy crowd? I am insulted. Were Frankie and I not rowdy enough for him?" Freddy said, incredulous. "There must be something seriously wrong with that boy. Other than his gender confusion, of course."

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh out loud and failing. Zack might've been Freddy's best friend but his partner-in-crime was Frankie. He and Freddy had been thorns in their teachers' necks back in their elementary and high school years because of their appalling behaviors. I didn't think anybody would be worse than they were.

"He probably put up with it because you guys were his friends," I replied.

"Maybe," Freddy shrugged. He glanced at me for a sec and then turned his eyes back on the road. I was surprised to see that we were already back inside the campus. The trip back was quicker than I expected. "I just realized, this is the first time you really laughed at anything I said."

"Then you'd better remember this day well, Freddy Jones," I told him as he pulled up in front of the entrance to the ladies' dorm. "It'll never happen again."

"We'll see about that," he said smiling. He turned off the engine and went to open the door for me.

I raised an eyebrow. For someone so brash, Freddy sure was a gentleman.

"Well," I said, fidgeting with the edges of my purse. "I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you," he said. I already started to walk up to the dorm when I remembered that I hadn't thanked him yet.

"Hey Spazz," I called out, and he turned around, hands in his pockets. I gave him a small smile. "Thanks."

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "What do you mean 'thanks'? You owe me, Summer Hathaway."

He gave a final wave, got in his car and sped off.

He was right, though. I did owe him. Damn it. I owed Wilfred Jones a_ favor_.

It's Murphy's Law, I'm telling you.

_(to be continued)_

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I hope you had fun reading this as much as I had writing it. Just to clear things out, Freddy was not hitting on Summer. Or at least, he's not doing it on purpose. He wouldn't do that to Zack. 

Wilfred...everybody else hasalready named him Frederick, and I just can't bear to use that name because my gay best bud's name is Frederick too. So, I used the name Wilfred for a change. And oh, that "bizarre phase of playing with matches" is something I got out of the line "I dunno, burn stuff?" from the movie.

**Acknowledgments:** "I disagree, I think it's entirely pointy" – Draco Sinister by Cassandra Claire.

**Shout outs to my reviewers:** Wow, the response I'm getting for this fic is better than I expected. I didn't think the SoR fandom would still be this alive. Thanks to **Calli**, **Annimouse**, **Alice Chatsend**, RIP MuM i love you so much. And to **Nanners-77**, whatta review! The first chap is like an introduction so I didn't give too much away. But I have to ask...what kind of details were you looking for? Just wondering. :-) I'm sorry if I can't reply to the reviews, I seem to have a problem logging in for that, so my replies to the reviews would probably come with the chapter updates. Btw, my updates will come at least once a week. Now that I'm on vacation, I could spend more time on editing. So please be patient.:)

**Up next: Chapter 3: Admirer - **Freddy's got a stalker, and Summer finds out what her payback is.

You know the drill! (glances pointedly at the Review button)


	3. Admirer

**What You Least Expect**

- endymion -

**Before anything else...Reviewer Shoutouts!  
Alice Chatsend**, **Marshmallow Fluff Bunny, sweetcaroline, i am not a chipmunk, xxPerfect princessxx** and **PurpleHazey**– Thanks for the reviews, I'm really glad you like it. Here you go, enjoy!  
**RIP MuM I love you so much** – getting along…hmm…read on, and see if you got it right.:)  
**Nanners-77** – you're going to make my head too big for the doorway. Harhar. possibly my favorite reviewer right now. Mucho thanks, your reviews make me feel all tingly. :)  
**writingrox12 **– oh she'll come around, that's for sure. But the journey there would be quite interesting (I hope).

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

**_Note: _**Flashbacks are in italics, and are in the third-person POV. Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 3: Admirer**

_**Freddy**_

I stopped pounding on my drums and shoved my phone to my ear.

"What?" I snapped, feeling very cross indeed. I hated it when I was interrupted from my drumming.

"Spazz, you bastard, stop pestering my girl friend," said an annoyed tone from the other line.

Zack. I was wondering why he hasn't called yet.

"What'd I do?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"Shut up man, I know you. She's tried not to say much 'bout you, but I know you've been at it again. Stop it, would you?"

"Zack Attack," I said, grinning despite myself. I can just see Summer, wanting with all her heart to tell Zack to keep me on a leash or something, but wouldn't. Or couldn't. Whatever. Just the thought of her shutting up is almost enough of a payback. _Almost. _"I can't do that. She's too easy a target, and I'm having too much fun."

"You try being the receiving end of her rants, then, and see how much _fun _it is," he said, the sarcasm clear in his voice.

I wiped off sweat from my forehead. "No thank you."

"Dude, just lay off. You're going to drive her crazy." Huh. Guitar man sounded desperate.

"I just have that effect on women," I smirked. The statement was simple, but I knew Zack would read between the lines.

3, 2, 1.

"You just try, Jones, and I'll make you eat your drum set."

I laughed. What a sucker. "I won't hit on Summer, don't get your guitar strings in a twist. Besides, she hates me, and she's not my type."

"Yeah, make sure it stays that way. Hey hold on for a sec." I heard a female voice in the background say "Who're you talking to?"

What's this? Another woman? It's the first week of college and he's already hooked up with someone else? That Zacharias Mooneyham is something.

"It's Freddy, wanna say hi?" And he's back on the line. "Katie says hi."

"Katie? What's she doing there?" I asked, a little surprised. But then again, why should I be? The three of us _did _spend more than a month together in that music workshop.

"We're working on a song together for class.''

"Oh, is that how you call it these days?" I teased, smirking madly as though Zack could see me.

"Don't get any ideas, Jones. It's just a project," said Zack derisively. I could almost see him rolling his eyes.

"Whatever you say, Zack-man."

"Shut up. I have to go dude. Watch over Summer for me won't you? But do lay off."

We hung up. I picked up my drumsticks again and resumed my drumming. Lay off. _Pffft. _

'_Like he really needed to tell me that,' _I snorted, rolling my eyes as I listened to ACDC on my iPod, trying to keep up with the drummer.

I'd never go for her. Not Summer, not ever.

* * *

_**Summer**_

I folded my clothes neatly and placed them back into my suitcase. As soon as I got back to my dorm room, I decided to pack my things. I had every intention of leaving this place the following day.

"Hey Summer," Olivia said, suddenly appearing at the doorway. She went directly for her bed and after shoving her things from her bed to the floor, sat down with her legs crossed. I cringed inwardly upon seeing the brand new mess she's created. _'One more night, Sum. Just one more night, and you'll never have to deal with her ever again,' _I thought, calming myself"Haven't seen you all day. Where've you been?" she asked.

"Here and there," I said, my tone clipped.

Like I said before, I'm not particularly fond of Olivia, but I haven't mentioned why. It's not just her sloppiness and weird attitude. That much I can tolerate. Oh no, it's much more than that.

_Summer was livid with anger. She'd come back to their dormroom one night, and found her I-Paq on Olivia's bed. That was fine, and all. She _did _say Olivia can borrow her I-Paq if she wanted to play with the card games. (Olivia said she wasn't _playing _games; she was reading fortunes in the electronic cards.) What's bothering her is that why her I-Paq wouldn't switch on anymore. Summer was very particular about her hi-tech devices and that I-Paq holds her schedule, her notes, her research…practically her entire life. She hasn't Synced it with her laptop since her first week in Culvert and if her I-Paq had indeed broken down, all her files are lost. _

"_Olivia! Did you touch my I-Paq?" Summer demanded as Olivia emerged from the shower, her hair dripping all over the floor. _

"_Yes," she responded simply, which only made Summer seethe more. _

"_Well? Do you know why it wouldn't work anymore?"_

"_It wouldn't switch on anymore after I dropped it. Sorry."_

_Summer's eyebrow twitched in her fury. "And? Is that all you can say?" _

"_Honestly Summer, I don't see why you're so mad. It's nothing but a material good. You can never be happy if you're forever earthbound by these technologies."_

"_What on _earth _are you talking about?" Summer exclaimed, her hands shaking from trying not to rip her hair out in frustration. _

_Far from being affected by her roommates' anger, Olivia approached Summer and took her hands in hers. "Summer, I repeat. It is just an I-Paq, a material good. Why don't you join our circle? I am sure the Crone could offer you the true happiness that no technology can give you."_

_Summer snatched her hands away from Olivia. "Ugh! Forget it!" she screeched, and with that, she stormed out of the room._

She never replaced the I-Paq. And frankly, I didn't want her to. Money wasn't really an object here, because my parents send me enough of that. I bought a new albeit cheaper Palm Pilot (the one I'm using now), actually. It's just that, I've worked so hard on the files in that I-Paq, and because she was…"reading fortunes" on it, all my work disappeared in a flash. That's also part of the reason why I can't wait to move out of here. I've a lot of gadgets, you see (the Palm, my laptop and my phone being at the top of the list), and I can't have her destroying all of them.

But I guess I can act civil to her for one more night.

"And you? What've you been doing?"

"Ceremony of the Vernal Equinox," she replied, as though this was the most normal thing in the world. Vernal Equinox…ugh, creepy. "What's with the suitcases?"

Okay, time for some serious lying. I didn't like lying, but whatever she doesn't know wouldn't hurt her, right? "Mom wanted me to get my own place, so I did."

I don't think she minded my leaving anyway, because she said "Oh, cool. So can Anodea have your bed? The Crone wants her followers to stay close."

I tried my very best not to shiver. She's so weird, it's even scary. Anodea's probably one of her 'sisters'. "Sure Anodea can have my bed. She can even move in tomorrow, if you want."

I worked in silence for a while until Olivia spoke up.

"Hey, I didn't know you knew Freddy Jones," she said. I turned around, and saw her looking through my School of Rock scrapbook.

"Unfortunately, yes. And I'd like to have that back please," I said, and she handed the scrapbook over to me.

"He's hot," Olivia said suddenly. "He registers on camera very nicely. Look."

I looked up from my packing and saw her holding up several photographs of Freddy. By the looks of it, they were taken very recently. Yes, I'm pretty sure those were taken recently. I recognized the college facilities in the background.

I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from bursting into laughter. My freaky roommate's got the hots for Spazz. Now that's something. I felt a pang of pity for the poor guy; Olivia would probably try to brew a love potion for him or something.

It's a good thing I wouldn't be here to see her make it.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

I yawned loudly as I made my way to class. I bumped into Frankie yesterday and we went to have a little fun. I got in late last night, and my head is still pounding with a fierce hangover. Maybe I shouldn't have drunk that last two (or twelve, I can't really remember) shots of tequila.

"Freddy Jones," I heard a voice. I blinked and tried to focus on the girl standing in front of me.

I frowned. "Do I know you?"

I know I have a reputation that I'm a player, but I do _not_ have sex with anything that has legs that isn't a footstool. And most of the women I've met are complete airheads anyway, so I don't really pay much attention to them. Except maybe their asses…Or boobs. I flirt a lot, but that's about it.

Not that I'd consider flirting with _this. _Black eyeliner, black lipstick, black nails. Piercings all over. Scary. I'm a self-confessed punk-rocker, but this was just too much.

"I'm Olivia Warren." Oh my god, it can talk.

"Right," I replied uncertainly, glancing behind me to check if she was really talking to me. Unfortunately, there wasn't anyone else in this dimly lit hallway. "I'm Freddy Jones."

"I know who you are." She tilted her head to one side eerily. Sheesh, majorly creepy. She could pass for those weird Asian horror flicks.

"Ooohkay, cool," I said, trying to slip past her. "Nice to meeting you, I guess. See you 'round."

"Wait," she said, her pale hand with an elaborate pentacle tattoo closed around my arm tightly. Ouch, those nails were long. And sharp. "Go out with me, would you?"

I blinked. Was this girl as insane as she looked? Did she just walk up to random people, ask them out, and actually expect a yes?

"Listen, I have class, I'll see you later all right?" I said, wrenching my arm from her grip and took off.

"You can't run away from me forever, Freddy Jones!"

Oh yeah? Watch me.

What a freak.

* * *

_**Summer**_

"Summer!"

I turned around and saw Billy trotting over toward me. "Hi Billy."

"Sorry I wasn't able to go with you last Saturday," he said when we began to walk to class together. "Did you get to see the place? How was it?"

"It was OK, I actually rented it already," I told him. "Do you still want to share it with me?"

"Definitely," he replied with relish. "The boys in my dorm are _appalling, _and they're not even good-looking! I swear, I went to the wrong college."

I laughed. If there was one thing I liked about gay men, it's their ability to be amusing in whatever situation. "You can move in with me anytime you want, I already told my parents and Zack about you."

"Oh good, I'll tell my mother as soon as I can," he said, and I had to smile. Billy sure was close to his mom; they see each other every other weekend. "You won't _believe_ what my roommate did the other day. He--"

He went on to tell me an epic tale of how his roommate had snuck in a girl into their room and locked him out. It was a highly interesting story, but I got a bit distracted when I saw Freddy Jones rush past us. We still had ten minutes to spare, why's he in a hurry? Normally, he'd be flirting with one of the girls in my class.

"You can't run away from me forever, Freddy Jones!"

I turned around to see who Freddy was running away from and snickered when I saw that it was Olivia Warren.

"It is _not _funny Summer! Who knows what they've been doing in there? I _shudder_ at the very thought," Billy pouted melodramatically.

"Sorry Billy," I apologized distractedly. When we got to class, Freddy was already in his seat and was breathing very quickly.

"What happened to you? You look like you've seen an alien or something," Billy commented tactlessly.

"I think I did," Freddy said, still a little breathless.

"Lemme guess. The alien's name starts with an O and it sounds like, say, Bolivia?" I grinned, pretending to venture a guess.

"Yes she—wait," Freddy stopped talking abruptly and shot me a look. "How do _you_ know that?"

I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it anymore; it was just too funny. "She was my roommate. I saw you running away from her earlier."

"_You_!" his blue eyes narrowed and he pointed an accusatory finger at me. "You put her up to this, didn't you?

I rolled my eyes. "Please, Jones. I have better things to do than set you up with that…rather eccentric young lady. Although I do congratulate whoever thought of it. Brilliant plan. You two would make a very cute couple, you know."

"If I find out that you had anything to do with this Summer, I swear I'd--"

Whatever it was he'd do, I never got the chance to find out, because Professor Mills just stepped in. I smiled sweetly at Freddy and he glared back at me.

So Olivia was good for something after all.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

It's been a week since I first met Olivia.

And since then, she hasn't stopped following me, trying to ask me out to all the weirdest dates, like funky ceremonies and shit. She puts notes on my car…the notes were written in Latin. _Latin. _I'm starting to get a little scared here.

And I don't know how she did it, but I think she somehow got wind of my schedule 'cause she always seemed to know where I'd be next. Maybe Summer gave it to her. Or maybe she's really a witch, like what people say.

She's everywhere, and I had to use the _longest_ routes to my classes just to avoid her. My professors are starting to get really annoyed because I was always late. Yeah, being late isn't exactly a new experience since I was always late in highschool too, but I was trying to get my act together in college. But then Olivia had to happen so screw the classes; I had to save my ass. It's freakin' exhausting.

Sometimes, being this good-looking can be a real pain.

I'm hiding behind a door right now, checking to see if the coast was clear. Yep, no one was around, I guess. I sighed with relief and stepped into the hallway.

"There you are."

I froze in my tracks. Damn it, she sniffed me out. "Hello Olivia."

"I was wondering where you've been these days," she said, toying with the pentagram pendant on her neck. "Where were you?"

"I've been…busy?" I said, stepping back when she tried to get close. Lamest of the lame excuses, I know.

"I see," she nodded. Well what do you know, she bought it. "So how about that date?"

I paled. "Oh uh, you see Olivia, I…can't."

"You can't? Why?"

'_Because I think you're a freak, and I'm afraid you might use me as a human sacrifice? Nah, that won't work,' _I thought. She stared at me blandly while I wracked my brain for a reason.

"Because I--" I began.

"Hello Olivia," Summer said, appearing out of the blue, Billy in tow. "Hello Freddy. See you guys around."

Summer grinned wolfishly before walking off. '_Little conniving bitch,' _I thought scornfully. _'One of these days, I'll get her back for—hey wait a second…'_

Suddenly, I began to smile. I just thought of a solution.

* * *

_**Summer**_

Humming softly, I rechecked the pages of my report for Business Management 101 before I stapled them neatly together. My thesis for Philosophy was also finished, and so was my paper for Economics. I've been motivated to work since I moved into my apartment unit. I was glad to have a clutter-free space once again.

I was heating up some leftover spaghetti when someone rang my doorbell. It was probably Billy. He told me he's coming over to bring some of his stuff. He's moving in with me tomorrow afternoon.

The doorbell rang again. "I'm coming!" I called and ran to open the door.

It was Freddy.

"'Sup Tink," he said grinning and pushed past me to let himself in. "Hey, spaghetti!"

"I didn't say you could come in," I said sourly. Shutting the door behind me, I followed him into the kitchen. "And keep your hands off my dinner."

Too late, he was already digging into my plate with a fork.

"What are you doing here?" I folded my arms across my chest and glared.

"Can't I visit an old friend?" he asked through a mouthful of pasta. I have no idea what people see in this pig. He's totally disgusting.

"That depends on your definition of friend. Last I checked, friends were people you actually _like_."

"How could you be so cruel? Hey, do you have any more parmesan? This is good stuff."

"Speak up Jones, or I'll call _Olivia_."

He smiled. I think it was supposed to be a sinister smile, but the meatball traces stuck between his teeth lessened the effect.

Still, it was a rather different reaction from what I was expecting. Uh-oh.

"All right, all right, I'll tell you," he said, finishing a glass of water in one gulp. "Remember that favor you owe me?"

I did _not_ like the sound of this. "Yeah?"

"I think it's time you paid up."

"What did you have in mind?"

"You."

I almost fell out of my chair. Freddy Jones' had gone mad. "Wh-what?"

His smile widened. "I want you to be my girlfriend."

_(to be continued…)

* * *

_

**A/N:** So sorry for the delayed update. This chapter has undergone many revisions and edits, and when it was finally ready for uploading, Fanfictiondotnet just decides that they need a server upgrade.

Don't you just love Olivia? Harhar…Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against witchcraft and goths and all that jazz. I'm actually very fascinated with them. I just decided to exaggerate it a little to give Spazzy a scare. The guy liked to act tough, but he's not as hard-core as he seems sometimes.

Yes, there is such a thing as the Ceremony of the Vernal Equinox. I got it from a book called The Crone's Book of Charms and Spells. If anyone's wondering, the book is mine. I went through a witchcraft obsession phase a few years back. (I guess I have The Craft and Charmed to thank for that)

Oh yeah, if anyone wants to receive an email when I update, say so in a review and leave your email address so I can add you up in the mailing list, 'kay? Cool.

**Up next: Chapter 4: Hitched**  
A proposition, a deal, and a whole lot of Freddy-Summer banter.

Reviews are very much appreciated. (winkwinknudgenudge)


	4. Hitched

What You Least Expect 

- endymion -

**Reviewer Shoutouts:**

**Nanners-77- **of course, mucho thanks for the chapter reviews. About the tenses, I'm sorry 'bout that. Like I said, I don't have a beta-reader, and even when I read the chapter through several times over, I still manage to miss out on some stuff. I'll try to do better. :)  
**Princess23 – **thanks very much! I hope you got my e-mail update.  
**Marshmallow Fluff Bunnies – **Yeah, Olivia's in a cult of sorts. I'm not really going to delve deeper into her cult-life though, that's just way too much work.  
**singingblondie - **your nick doesn't have anything to do with Marta does it? Thanks for reviewing!  
**writingrox12 – **he'll be watching his steps as much as he possibly can. We can't have Zack running around with an axe for Freddy's neck now, can we? Thanks for the review, enjoy this chapter!  
**RIP MuM i love you so much – **interesting name, btw. I'm sorry, I can't give you any hints on what's going to happen next, it'll spoil the surprises. (yes, surprises. That's the why the fic is called What You _Least_ Expect. winks)  
**i am not a chipmunk – **love that line too. Haha. thanks for reviewing, as always!  
**A Bloody Vampire – **Yes, the boy is hot indeed. I'm glad you liked the way I wrote his character.  
**D.M. Ralte – **Aww, thanks! Go on with your F/S fic, we all need a little more FreddySummer lovin'! Sorry 'bout the tenses though. Nanners-77 already brought that up, and I'll try to straighten those out.

**You people are the best! Mwa! (throws out cookies to readers and reviewers) **

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

**_Note: _**Flashbacks are in italics, and are in the third-person POV. Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Hitched** **_Freddy_**

"No!" Summer said, horror evident in her eyes and her voice. Heh. I knew she'd say that.

I threw up my hands. "Why the hell not?"

"_What!_ Are you seriously asking me that question?" she looked at me in disbelief, and I grinned at her with all my teeth bared.

"Yes. I'm hot, I'm available, you want me and I'm yours for the taking, so for the life of me I can't imagine why you _don't_ want to be my girlfriend."

The look on her face clearly suggested that she'd thought I'd bounced of my rocker. It took her a few seconds to recover and yell "Because!"

I snorted. "What kind of reason is 'because'?"

"You just don't come barging into people's houses, mooch off their dinners and then ask them to be your girlfriend! That's just plain _wrong!_"

"Hey, I was going to pay you back for the spaghetti."

"_So_ not the point right now. And so not funny," she gave an exasperated sigh and stalked off to her living room.

I followed suit. "You have to do it. I already told Olivia that you and I are hitched."

"Why the hell would you tell her that crap?"

"So she'd--stop pacing, you're making me dizzy—leave me alone."

"Why? I thought you liked attention."

"Goddamnit, why does _everyone_ think I have A.D.D.? I'm not fucking retarded!"

She smirked at me. "Really now? 'Cause I have the impression that you are."

I raised a pointer finger in level with her face and was about to say something snarky but I thought the better of it. I won't get anywhere if I keep fighting with her.

"Listen, Hathaway, I just want the freak to leave me alone, okay? I mean, come on, she used to be your roommate, don't tell me you never noticed how much of a weirdo she is. She's really giving me the creeps."

"And that's my problem because...?"

"Oh come on! You still owe me, dude."

"Get over yourself, it wasn't _that_ big a favor," she said, crossing her arms, her chin jutting out stubbornly. "And aren't you forgetting something? That I'm already somebody else's girlfriend? Your _best friend's_, I might add?"

"So what? He's not even here. He'll never find out," I told her in a matter-of-factly tone. Her face scrunched up again and she opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her to it. "And don't flatter yourself too much, Summer, it's not like I'm asking you to have sex with me or anything. I still don't like you any more than I did in Horace Green. It's just a temporary thing. I just need you to pose as my girlfriend so Olivia'd get off my back."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Oh so you're planning on _using_ me, is that it? Well, get one of your groupies to do it, then and quit bothering me."

"You know I _would_, but none of them owe me."

"You know as well as I do that those whores of yours would be willing to shave off their fake blond heads just to be your girlfriend, even if it's just for show."

"Then you admit it, you think I'm hot."

"Missing the point _again_!"

She's not going to make this any easier. I sighed and stepped closer to her. She raised her chin defiantly and glared at me.

"Look, any other girl would probably take this way too seriously and might ask for more than I'd be willing to bargain for," I told her, dropping all jokes.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Like--Sex? Commitment? I've no idea but I sure as hell do not want to go through all that trouble. You, on the other hand, wouldn't do that because you're in love with my best friend and you hate me."

She shut up. Did she actually shut up? _Now_ we're getting somewhere.

When she still didn't say anything, I took it as a cue to go further.

"It's a perfect setup, just think about it. Olivia would stop stalking, and I get to look after you."

Summer's eyebrows shot up. "Why in God's name would _you_ want to do _that_?"

"Because Zack asked me to," I told her truthfully. Summer's face relaxed into a small smile upon hearing Zack's name. Aha, there we go, I've broken down one of her defenses.

"He did?" she asked softly. Sheesh, can this get any sappier? I rolled my eyes, but nodded yes. She sat down on one end of the couch, and I took the other end. Now…to get through to her entirely…

"Come on, Summer. Hasn't she done _anything_ to make you want to get her back?" I continued, my voice lowering to its natural volume. She was quiet, as though she was mulling things over.

Finally, after several minutes of silence and bated breath, she spoke. "How temporary are we talking about here?"

Still not a yes, but close enough. "Just enough to convince Olivia that I'm already spoken for."

"But that could take all year!"

"I seriously don't see anything wrong with that."

Summer pursed her lips, probably trying to work out some sort of compromise. "One month."

"Come on, when we 'break' up, she'd be all over me again," I said. "One year."

"There's no way I could stand being your girlfriend that long Jones. One month."

"Ten."

"One and a half."

"What? Come on! Eight."

"Two."

We went on haggling like that for a good twenty minutes until we agreed upon six months. Half a year's not that bad. Hey, anything to get rid of Olivia. By the end of the six months, we only have one month to go before spring break. By the time we get back from break, I'm pretty sure she'd have found a new target, and I can go back to fooling around in peace.

"That's six months starting tomorrow, meaning we have until…the last week of February," Summer said (more to herself than to me really) while jotting it all down on her Palm Pilot. Wow, business as usual. "Listen carefully, Jones, here are my rules."

"Hit me."

"I would _so_ love to do that right now," Summer sighed in frustration. "Anyway. No touching, no hugging, no kissing--"

"Summer, I just had my dinner. That's disgusting," I said, pretending to gag.

"--And no pet-name calling. And when she's not around, we're off," she said, closing her Palm with a snap. "And that was _my_ dinner you just had."

"Might I remind you that our girl here is just one brain cell short of a stalker? We never know where she'd turn up next," I said, evading the spaghetti issue purposefully. "So, we'd have to be together, like, 24/7. In-campus anyway."

"Fine, we're on 24/7 in-campus," she rolled her eyes, noting the changes on her Palm.

"And that no touching thing, we'd have to hold hands once in a while to make it convincing," I added.

"No way Jones. Having to hang with you for no real reason is torture enough. Physical contact is _way_ too much."

"Well, I don't want an extra appendage either, but having a Summer attached to my arm is way better than having an Olivia all over me. Come on, are you helping me out or what?"

She clucked her tongue and spoke through gritted teeth. "_Fine,_ holding hands, _only_. You're pushing your luck Jones."

"Well it's working isn't it?" I grinned.

She narrowed her eyes at me again. "And another thing. While we're 'on', I don't want you fooling around with other women."

"What? You mean like, be exclusive?" I looked at her in disbelief. "That's not fair!"

"And you think having to act like I actually enjoyed your company is fair?" she shot back. "If you go fooling around with other girls, people would think I'm gullible enough not to notice that my supposed boyfriend is cheating on me. I don't want to look like an idiot, Jones. That's your department."

"I'm not doing it," I said, crossing my arms on my chest. There was no way I'd sacrifice all my good times just because _she _said so.

"Then the deal's off," she said, a look of triumph on her face. Oh, what I would give to hang her by the ankles right now. But what was I to do? I had no other choice.

"Fine," I agreed bitterly. "We're exclusive."

"Good. Glad we have that cleared up," she said, grinning at me smugly.

I had to get out of here before she changed my mind. Or before I lost my nerve and beat that smug grin off her face. Whichever came first. "So should I pick you up tomorrow or--" I asked her.

"That won't be necessary. Just meet me at the fountain tomorrow at eight. And do _not_ be late."

The ringing of Summer's doorbell interrupted our negotiations. I got up to get see whoever it was.

"Oh, hey Frilly," I said when I saw the gay dude in Summer's doorway.

He looked from Summer to me and back. "Did I miss something?"

I laughed and gave Summer a wave. "I'll see you tomorrow Tink. You too, Frilly."

The door shut behind me just in time to hear Billy mutter. "What on earth was _that _about?"

* * *

**_Summer_**

"Are you absolutely _sure_ you want to go through with this?" Billy whispered. We were already at the fountain, waiting for my alleged…dare I say it? _Boyfriend_.

One word. Eww.

I told Billy everything that happened last night. Rest assured, Billy was as horrified at the proposition as I was. I don't know what possessed me to say yes, but when he said that Zack asked him to look after me…Well. Let's just say, Zacharias Mooneyham is my weakness.

And then of course, there's the fact that I wanted to get back at Olivia for the whole I-Paq fiasco.

"I'm _sure_ I don't want to," I said slowly, watching the statue atop the fountain that seemed to be pouring water from a stone pitcher. "But he's right; I still owed him. If he hadn't showed up when he did, I'd still be living with Olivia right now. And besides, it's only temporary."

"This is a very bad idea, Summer," he told me. When I saw Freddy get out of his black Benz and saunter toward us, a cheeky smirk on his face, I had to agree with him.

"Did you have to bring _him_?" Freddy asked, jerking his head in Billy's direction. Billy made a face at him, and I ignored both of them.

"You're five minutes late," I said crossly as the three of us joined together.

"Gimme a break, I got up as early as I could," Freddy said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Whatever, let's get this over with," I said and began the short walk towards our building. "Are you _sure_ she'd be there?"

Freddy snorted. "She's taken it upon herself to haunt the Harrison Hallway ever since she introduced herself. Believe me, she'll be there."

We walked in silence until we arrived at the marble steps at the building's entrance. I took a deep breath.

"Well," I said, swallowing hard. "Let's get this show on the road."

Freddy smiled and offered me his hand. And with much effort and hesitancy, I reached out and took it.

* * *

**_Freddy_**

I felt Summer's fingers slowly and lightly entwine with mine. I gripped it tighter and grinned. "That wasn't so bad now, was it?"

"Shut up, I'm already spending too much energy trying to keep holding onto your clammy hand," she snapped. Geez, so much for friendly small talk.

"You're a fine one to talk," I snorted. "Like yours is any better."

"Would you two stop that," Billy muttered. "I think I see her."

I looked around and sure enough, there she was. It was hard not to see her; she stuck out like Britney Spears in a KISS concert. I saw her eyes roam from Summer to me and down to our clasped hands.

"'Sup," I nodded at her as we drifted closer.

"Hi Olivia," I heard Summer say from beside me.

Freako gave us an appraising look, as though trying to evaluate the situation, before she nodded in acknowledgment. And then…

She walked away. Easy as that.

Summer's jaw dropped open. "That was _it!_ We've bargained for so long last night for _that_?" she said once we were in the classroom.

"What are you complaining about?" I retorted. "Aren't you glad it's over, just like that? I know I am."

"Believe me, Jones, I'll be _extremely_ happy when this is truly over," Summer said, raising a hand for emphasis. "But don't you think that was too easy?"

"Women could not be duped that easily, even someone as strange as her," Billy agreed, as usual, with Summer.

"How would you know that, _Frilly_?" I sneered at him.

He arched an eyebrow at me haughtily. "It's called feminine intuition Wilfred, get a girlfriend."

"I _thought_ I did," I grinned devilishly and glanced down at my hand. Summer looked down too and snatched her hand away when she realized that it still rested in mine. "Summer, babe, I know you can't keep your hands off me but don't you think we're moving too fast?"

"Please, somebody grab a corkscrew and poke a hole through this person's overly inflated ego," she made a face as she took out her hand sanitizer, poured a few drops on her hand and scrubbed her hands vigorously. "You know, I do not want to prolong this 'setup' of ours any more than you do, but if you actually think that Olivia's going to be fooled that easily, then suit yourself."

I stayed quiet for a while, trying to weigh my choices. "All right fine, let's go through with this for the rest of the day, just to see if she did buy it. If she continues stalking, then we're still on."

"Took you long enough to figure that out," Summer sighed and turned back to her seat.

I wanted to slam my head on my desk. What have I gotten myself into?

* * *

**_Summer_**

"See? What did I tell you?" I whispered to Freddy while we were having our lunch in the field. He was seated beside me on the grass, and Billy was on my other side. All day, I hung out with Freddy, and all day I've been seeing Olivia. In shadowy corners, behind pillars, near the lockers…everywhere. And even as I unwrap my turkey and watercress sandwich, she's nearby. I could feel her eyes scrutinizing our every move. We made sure we spoke in low voices so she wouldn't hear things she shouldn't hear. I find it uncanny that anyone could actually like Freddy _that_ much. I've only spent a few hours with him, and already I'm getting tired. He's like an overgrown kid, who always needed looking after.

"So I guess we're still on," he said, grabbing my wrist so he could take a bite out of my sandwich.

"Damn, Spazz, you still owe me spaghetti, lay off my sandwich!" I gave him a dirty look, and held the sandwich out of his grasp.

"You're really quite something, Summer Hathaway," Billy said, watchingFreddy with a mix of amazement and ill-concealed disgust."I admire your guts for trying to put up with this underling."

I glanced at Freddy too, who was currently listening to his iPod and mouthing the words to the song. He was tapping a rhythm on his thighs, his face contorted into what he seemed to think was a rock-and-roll grimace.

"Yeah, well I've had a lot of practice," I replied, rolling my eyes. "His being Zack's friend made sure of that."

Bill suddenly looked thoughtful. "Speaking of which…are you going to tell Zack about this?"

I bit my lip. "I haven't thought about that," I said slowly. I turned and poked Freddy's arm (earning me a satisfying 'Ow!' when I did) to get his attention. I waited until he pulled out his earphones before I asked him "What do you think? Should we tell Zack about this?"

Freddy wrinkled his nose in confusion until he realized what I was talking about.

"I don't see why not," he shrugged, rubbing the spot on his arm where I poked him. "You're paying me back for a favor, I'm sure he'll understand."

"Will he? I mean, this isn't a normal way of payback," I asked, still uncertain.

"Well Freddy's not exactly what you'd call normal, anyway," Billy pointed out.

"Hey! I resent that!" Freddy interjected.

I made a face at him and turned toward Billy. "So I should tell him?"

"Yes," Billy said, shrugging his shoulders with more grace than I thought was possible for a guy."It's not like you're having a real affair."

At that, Freddy burst out laughing so hard that he had to bend over, with one hand clutching his stomach. I punched his shoulder. "What's so funny?"

"The thought of you and I actually getting along is already hilarious," he said, still snickering. "But an _actual_ affair?"

I frowned, thinking just how much I agree with him. Billy's right, I should tell Zack. I'm sure he'll find this funny too.

* * *

It's Saturday morning, and I'm in my apartment. Billy's still asleep in his room, while I'm having coffee as I waited for Zack to call. He made it a point to call me every Saturday morning, so I planned on telling him about the, uhh, arrangement between Freddy and I then. 

I cringed inwardly when I remembered that I've already been Freddy Jones' girlfriend for an entire week. I should get a Nobel Peace Prize for this.

The guy didn't have any other friends. Besides Billy and me, there really was no one else he likes to bother with. I'm not too surprised though, Freddy didn't seem like the type to be in a big group. In Horace Green, the only people he hung out with were the people from School of Rock because he's known them the longest. Sure he went out with a lot of different girls, but they don't really count as friends. I don't think he ever really tried hanging out with other people. He probably won't start now, since the people here in Culvert were _nothing_ like the people in HGHS. They were pretty serious with their studies, and I knew for a fact that Freddy hates being too serious in stuff like academics. So he was stuck with us.

Oh _joy._

It was very trying, but not as horrible as I thought it would be. He had a lot of annoying habits like tugging on my ponytail and flicking my ear. God, what are we, three? Seriously, the boy needs to grow up. He still delighted in making me mad, but I was starting to get used to it. I think Billy played a big part of keeping me sane, since he usually hung out with us too.

What I can't understand is the fact that Freddy doesn't seem to know what we're supposed to do. We were supposed to act like we were in a relationship, and he seemed a little clueless. I mean, isn't he supposed to be an expert at this already? He's been with approximately twenty-five girls in a span of four years, so he should know a thing or two about dating…right?

But he left it up to me to lay down the rules of the game. I decided to let him pick me up and take me home every weekday, because we've seen Olivia hovering in the parking lot. Freddy said she might be wondering why he and I go home separately and might get suspicious.

Oh, must not forget the memorable first day in school as a couple. Jaws dropped, necks swiveled and eyes widened when our blockmates saw Freddy and I enter the classroom hand in hand. I wasn't really all that surprised; Freddy _is _popular not only in our block, but in the entirety of the building. Like I said, they all seemed to find him hot. And our animosity towards each other isn't exactly a big secret. They didn't even bother to keep their voices down when they whispered amongst themselves. I heard them ask things like "When did _that _happen?" or "Don't they, like, hate each other's guts?" and "Why her?" I hadn't been able to help myself from asking "Yeah, Freddy, why me?"

But eventually, the hype died down. The people just got used to seeing us together, and left us well enough alone. I'd help him out with our subjects every once in a while. Freddy wasn't stupid, really. In fact, I'd say he was even surprisingly clever. He just had trouble focusing, that's all. (How can he not? Instead of listening to the lectures, he spent his time drumming on his desk, distracting both Billy and me.)

We'd have lunch together on the grass under the big tree just behind the library building. Sometimes I'd bring lunches for both Freddy and Billy. I loved cooking a lot, actually. I've never really cooked for anyone besides Zack or some close friends and myself but I thought that was couple-y enough to convince anyone. I just hope it's enough to convince Olivia.

As expected, my mobile phone rang at exactly 9 am. I smiled and reached for it.

"Hey Zack," I greeted him happily.

"Summer, hi," he replied. I can almost see him smile when he did. Zack's somewhat transparent; you can almost always tell how he felt by the tone of his voice or the expression in his eyes. "How've you been?"

"I'm good, and you? Have you had breakfast already?"

"Nah, I just woke up. My classes won't come 'til later in the afternoon so I'm actually still in bed. I'll grab some lunch later when I go down."

"You're not eating properly again, aren't you? Go feed yourself, Zack, I don't want a starving boyfriend."

He laughed softly, his voice still a bit groggy with sleep. "Yes mom, I will," he said, and I heard him get out of bed. Muffled footsteps told me he was on his way to the kitchen, probably to get Oreo-O's and milk. "We started taking Voice this week."

"Oh yeah? So you can sing less painfully now?" I teased.

"As a matter of fact yes," he replied. "Katie said we should get School of Rock back together, and I could be lead singer. I told her we'd burn in hell for even trying."

"Give yourself a little credit, Zack, you weren't _that_ bad at singing," I said, smiling as a memory played in my mind…the night we officially became a couple.

_They were seated across each other in a diner near Dewey's place. It was after band practice and they just finished having dinner. Zack said he needed to talk to Summer about something important, but he still hadn't gotten around to it yet._

_"Zack," fifteen-year-old Summer frowned and tapped a pencil on her planner impatiently. The boy looked up at her, slightly pale. "Are you going to tell me or not?"_

_"I, uhh, wanted you to listen to this song I wrote," he said, fumbling with the zipper of his acoustic guitar's case._

_"A new one so soon?" she asked him. He seemed to be coming up with a lot of songs recently._

_"Yeah, well, I've had a lot of inspiration lately," he smiled at her. "But I want you to listen carefully to this one, all right? I really need to know what you think."_

_Summer nodded and waited with mild curiosity as he tuned the strings of his instrument. His fingers started to pluck the strings expertly and he sang along to his own lyrics. Leaning back on the red cushioned seat, Summer closed her eyes and let herself be absorbed in Zack's music. These moments with him were the ones she treasured most. Besides Dewey, she was the only person Zack ever sang to, and she was always the first to hear his songs. He always said he wasn't much of a singer, but she thought his voice was good enough. For her, anyway. His voice wasn't brilliant, but something about the way he sang had a calming, almost drugging effect on her._

"Great moments they pass by  
If you're careless  
Desperately trying to speak the words  
I've been wanting to say for a long time.

Tongue-tied, every time I try to talk to you  
In time, I'll find the right line.  
Caught a glimpse of you  
I tremble every time you walk by  
Hopelessly trying to find a way  
To be near you, to get near you.  
In my mind, plays thoughts of you all the time  
Ill find the right line"

_But this new song was a bit different from the rest. The words were simple enough, but the overall feel of it was…well…romantic. She opened her eyes to ask him about it, and was surprised to see him looking at her so intensely, as though every line of his song was written on her face. And then she just knew that this song was written for her._

"I'll bleed for you  
Like a new tattoo in my heart  
You'll stay permanent

Am I too late now?  
Will I find a way to get to you somehow...?"

_The song finished with a slow note that hung in the air…an unfinished question waiting for an answer. Summer was awestruck with the beauty of it, and the fact that it was for her made her feel…overwhelmed._

_He looked at her, half-expectant and half-anxious. "So?"_

_She swallowed hard, trying to find her voice. "That was beautiful Zack. It really was."_

_"That's not really what I meant," he smiled sheepishly._

_Unable to help herself, Summer did something she never thought she'd ever do; she leaned over and kissed Zack Mooneyham. It was a chaste kiss, just lips touching lips, but it was their first. She felt him smile against her mouth just before she pulled back enough to see his eyes._

_"Yes Zack," she whispered, her forehead resting against his. "You already have."_

"Summer? You there?"

"Yeah, Sorry," I replied, trying to bring myself back to the present. I think Zack was telling me a story or something. "I just remembered something, that's all. Could you tell me again?"

"Oh, I see. Anyway, I think a classmate from Music History is interested in Katie, 'cause he asked me if we were together. I told him no, and that I had a great girlfriend who's currently taking the first step to world domination."

"Brownnoser," I laughed. "So what'd he say?"

"He said long distance relationships were kind of fragile and usually ended up with one cheating on the other," Zack recalled. "But I told him you'd never do that."

"Oh," I replied softly, collapsing onto a chair. I don't know what happened, but I suddenly, I just couldn't tell him about the setup between Freddy and I. I mean, it's not exactly cheating but still…

"Hey, why so down? You're not contemplating on actually cheating on me, are you?" he joked, and I managed a half-hearted laugh.

"No, of course not," I said, a little too quickly.

"So, did you want to tell me something?"

I bit my lip and crossed my fingers. "No, nothing."

* * *

_**Freddy**_

Being a boyfriend isn't really all it's cracked up to be. I mean, sure, I've only been one a week but really, how hard could it be?

Before anybody gets confused, I just want to clear out that I've never been in a serious relationship before. I've had a lot of 'exes', but those were really more on the, ehem, _physical_ level. Put bluntly, I'd meet with random girls in a bar or a club and get laid.

I really don't get why people get so hyped up with all the emotional schmuck. All that junk will only complicate things, and I like my life to be fuss-free. I think a girl's hot, I hit on her, we make out, sometimes we have sex and then either I call her or not. Easy as pie.

That's why I thought it would be difficult to act like I was serious at first. I let Summer call all the shots because honestly, I didn't know how to act like a real boyfriend. (You tell anybody I said that, you're dead.) I thought I'd have to be all protective and shit. You know how they do it in movies; someone hits on the girl and the guy gets all "Imma kick yo' ass foo'! Keep yo' paws off ma girl!''

Turns out the job isn't especially difficult.

I'd pick her up in the morning, we get to our classes together with limited physical contact (in case Olivia's watching), basically spend all our free time together until it's time for me to drop her off at her apartment. We didn't need to put up a show during classes since Olivia isn't in any of them, but I'd sit next to Summer anyway. She helps keep me awake by smacking me in the head with a notebook when I start to doze off, and she helps me concentrate by stealing and keeping my drumsticks until the end of the class.

She didn't even ask me to carry her stuff for her or anything. I kind of expected that from her since Zack used to bring her things all the time. She'd complain every once in a while, that she could've been doing more useful things with her time instead of hanging around with me. I'd tell her that she should consider herself extremely lucky that she gets to bask in all my godly glory. Then she'd tell me that only Olivia worships that kind of godly glory, so it wasn't something I should be proud of.

''You think she believes us yet?" I asked, momentarily dropping Summer's hand to shift my backpack on my shoulder. We just got out from Philosophy class and man, my brain was _beat_. Billy said he'd meet us at the field for lunch because he had to talk to our professor about his paper.

''Guess we'll find out soon,'' she said, quickly grabbing my hand. "Here she comes."

I glanced up, and sure enough, there she was. She was walking down the hall towards us, her camera hanging around her neck as always.

"Hello Summer," Olivia said when she was just half a foot away from us, her voice as emotionless as ever.

''Hi Olivia,'' my fake girlfriend gave Olivia an even faker smile.

"Freddy mentioned you two were dating."

''Yes, for a while now actually," Summer said, with a hint of an amused grin.

''I remember you telling me that you knew him, but I didn't think you'd be dating,'' Olivia said blandly. ''I rather had the feeling that you didn't like him."

Summer flushed and I pressed my lips together to keep myself from snorting in laughter. This girl was more perceptive than I thought.

"We had a fight that day, and I didn't really want to talk about him," Summer replied smoothly. I had to give it to her; she was good.

"Is that why I've never seen you two on a date before?" Olivia asked. Damn, she wasn't buying this! I had to think of something.

"We've been busy, with college and stuff," I said, not really knowing what I was saying. "But we're going to catch a movie this Friday."

"We are?" Summer shot me a look, and I squeezed her hand to tell her to play along. "Yeah. We are. It was about time too, it's been _ages_ since we last went out."

"I'd invite you, but see, I think I like it better if we were alone," I said, dropping Summer's hand and placing my arm around her waist for good measure. I felt her stiffen against me, and I was sure I would be in trouble once Olivia's gone. Our agreement says that our only physical contact should be handholding and nothing else. "I think it would be bit awkward for you when we start to make out.''

"I see," Olivia nodded. "I'll see you 'round then."

"Later," I replied and added "much" under my breath.

Just as I predicted, Summer was already glowering at me and threw my arm off her once we were sure Olivia was out of earshot. "A movie? When the hell did we agree on _that_?"

"She wasn't buying it, so I had to do something," I defended. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal, Jones, is that our agreement is limited _in-campus,_ in case you've forgotten. In-campus does not include the theater."

"Then we won't go out. What she doesn't know won't kill her, would it?"

"That's just it!" she snapped. "You do realize that she's going to haunt the theaters on Friday now, don't you?"

"Oh. Right," I shrugged. "So I guess we're watching a movie."

"Is there really nothing _helpful_ that you can say?"

"Sheesh, Summer, don't have an aneurysm, its just a movie for chrissakes," I held up my hands in mock surrender. Suddenly, I wished Billy were here to hold back my rabid 'girlfriend'. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll pay for the date. Happy?"

Summer groaned. "You're enjoying this aren't you, you filthy snake?"

I smirked. "Immensely."

_(To be continued…)_

* * *

**A/N:** That song isn't mine, sadly enough. It is called New Tattoo, and it's a song by Urban Dub, a Filipino Indie (I think) band. If you have the time, go and listen to it, it's a beautiful song. Yeah sure, it doesn't sound like something Zack would (or could) sing, but the lyrics are perfect. Let's just pretend he's a better singer now. 

About that deal, I know it's a little cliché, but bear with it please. I can't think of any other way to force them to spend time together. I honestly think that they'll never get together on their own terms.

**Up Next: Chapter 5 A Night at the Movies**

Summer and Freddy out on a date? Will all hell break loose, or can they manage to come out of it without broken noses and bruised egos?

Do not forget to review okay? 'Til next week! m/


	5. A Night at the Movies

**What You Least Expect**

- endymion -

**Reviewer Shoutouts:**

**writingrox12- **yes, she didn't tell Zack, and I have a reason for it. Wanna find out what it is? Keep on reading and reviewing, hmkay?**Nanners77- **as my favorite reviewer, you get an email! My response to your review is a bit long, you see. I have some explaining to do. Hope you got it.: )  
**i am not a chipmunk** – haha, glad you thought so. Personally, the banter in _Chapter 4-Hitched _is my favorite out of all that I've written so far.  
**Gothic Ghost** – Yeah, you have to wait a week just like everyone else, I'm afraid. The next chapter's under reconstruction as of the moment, though, don't worry.  
**RIP MuM iloveyousomuch – **cruel? How? Haha…thanks for reading, keep the reviews coming 'ayt?  
**D.M. Ralte**- Oh yes, Olivia is indeed, a freak. Lol. I'm glad you think she's hilarious, I really loved writing her. She'll be making a few more appearances in the next chapters of course, so watch out for her then.  
**Gabriella Montez-Bolton** – cool name. I said I do not like to give out hints, but just this once, I'll make an exception. Zack won't find out 'til later in the story. As in much, much later.  
**Sabishi Tomo – **you think so?I guess you'll just have to keep reading to find out! Twists…there are quite a few of them in the story, so keep an eye out for them. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Kara – **mucho thanks…hope you like this chapter!

**To all my readers:  
**My friends, I've already laid out a chapter by chapter draft of the whole fic, and it is stretching out to at least 16 chapters. That's why it will seem that the development between them would be agonizingly slow, because as they say, love takes time. And also, I warn you to read carefully, for the changes will be a bit subtle, and you'd have to read between the lines. Same goes for the maturity in the characters. Okie? Thanks for your patience, and I hope you keep reading!

**I love you people! (throws out more cookies)**

**Disclaimer:** Underworld 2 and School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

**_Note: _**Flashbacks are in italics, and are in the third-person POV. Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV.

On with the story! (finally!)

* * *

**Chapter 5: A Night at the Movies** **_Summer_**

I stood in front of my bureau to check my reflection once more on the mirror.

I'd already put on the red off-shouldered sweater and black hip-hugger jeans that I chose from my limited wardrobe. I didn't bother with my hair anymore. I just decided to leave it loose this time, instead of putting it up in my usual ponytail. My makeup only consisted of sheer blush and pink lipgloss (as they're the only ones I know how to use), but I thought I looked all right. Not exactly breathtaking, but acceptable to say the least.

'_Not that I needed to look breathtaking tonight,'_ I reminded myself. _'It's only a pretend date with Freddy.'_

I can't believe I'm actually going through with this. Not that this is the first time we'd actually go out. We've gone on several double and group dates before, me with Zack and him with…whoever he was dating at the time. But this time, it's different. This night would be our first date as a—gulp--couple.

"Hey Summer, I just—hey, you're dressed up," Billy said, suddenly appearing in my bedroom's doorway. I turned away from my dresser and looked at him from head to toe.

"Fishing for compliments are we?" I replied with a good-natured chuckle. His wavy auburn hair was moussed to perfection. For tonight, he chose to wear a tasteful long-sleeved lilac shirt and well-fitting trousers. "What were you going to say?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to _Absinthe_ tonight," he said, flashing me his pearly whites and leaning gracefully on my doorframe. _Absinthe_ is a popular club downtown, and notorious for it's nightlife. "Friday night is Queer Night. Don't wait up."

"Oh my god…you're hooking up with somebody?" I said, covering my grinning mouth with both my hands. Billy shrugged, but a smile wouldn't leave his glossy lips. "Good luck then! I'll see you tomorrow!"

"You too, hun. Later!"

He gave a last wink before leaving me be. I sighed.

'_At least one of us is excited for a date tonight,' _I thought as I took off my retainers and placed them in their plastic case.

What? _Don't_ tell me nobody thought I needed braces. My teeth were _horrendous_ in elementary school and I knew it. It cost my parents a fortune, but since I was getting top grades, they couldn't refuse me. My teeth are better now, but I still needed to wear my retainers at night.

I remembered how I tried to hide my braces from the band when I'd first gotten them. When Freddy, Leonard and Frankie found out, they laughed their butts off and took to wearing sunglasses whenever I opened my mouth. Katie was supportive though, and Alicia told the three boys off (with her speech highly peppered with expletives) for taunting me. Zack, on his part, convinced _his_ dad to get him braces too. He told me he needed them too anyway, but I knew he was just being nice. Needless to say, both of us now have perfect teeth.

How I wished it were Zack I'd be seeing tonight... I guess that's why I bothered a little with how I looked. Alas, it was only Freddy.

Speak of the devil, I think that's him ringing my doorbell.

"Coming!" I yelled as I picked up my keys and my purse. With one last glance at the mirror, I went off to greet my date.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

I can never understand why women always take so _freakin'_ long before a date.

"Summer, we're going to miss the movie!" I yelled through her door. I've been standing here for five, whole minutes. Her doorbell was obviously working, but she still wouldn't answer the door so I resorted to insistent knocking.

"Yeah, yeah, I said I was coming!" I heard her voice growing louder as she drew closer to the door. And suddenly, the door was gone and I was looking at Summer's slightly annoyed expression. "Did you have to knock that hard? You're going to ruin my door."

"I don't want to miss the movie," I shrugged, while I watched her lock up her apartment. She twisted the brass knob and then, without any further greeting, she spun on her heel and walked on ahead of me.

I shoved my hands inside the pockets of my jeans, and kept one eye trained on Summer as she walked a step in front of me, her hips swaying from side to side. I cleared my throat to get her attention, but still she wouldn't look at me.

'_Fine, be that way. I don't care,' _I thought,rolling my eyes.

Unable to find any other distraction as we rode the elevator, I found myself studying her more closely. I could see her reflection on the shiny, metal door of the elevator.

If I hadn't known who she was, I'd probably think she deserved a second-look. Her straight black hair was a stark contrast to the pale-peach of her skin, and it grew down to her slim waist. Not that it matters but…she looks _great _in red. The shade of the sweater made her deep brown eyes look brighter. At the moment, I can't see her teeth, but I knew they looked way better than they had back in HG Prep. And her ass wasn't ten years old anymore, that's for sure. (I didn't need the reflection on the elevator to notice that particular attribute.)

Maybe Zack _did_ know his stuff when he decided to go for Summer, after all.

…

Wait a minute. What the hell am I thinking? This is _Summer _I'm talking about here. She's still the raven-haired pixie that I liked to annoy with a passion. Her slightly improved appearance won't change that. I think.

"What movie are we seeing again?" she asked, breaking her self-induced vow of silence as we stepped out in the cool night air. I told her last night that I wouldn't bring my car anymore, since the theater was only a few blocks away from our neighborhood.

"_Underworld 2_, baby!" I replied, flashing her a bright grin.

"Oh, cool," she said, sounding pleased. I turned to look at her, not bothering to hide my surprise. I happened to know a _lot _of women, and most of them did not like action flicks.

"What?" she raised her eyebrows at me and I turned my gaze back on the road.

"Nuthin'" I shrugged. "I just thought you'd gripe for a chick flick, that's all."

She groaned. "_Please_. Chick-flicks are the bane of my existence. I need movies with substance, and a lot of action."

What do you know; we actually have something in common.

"Haha, now that's what I'm talking about right there," I laughed and punched her lightly on the shoulder. I flashed her a grin again, and I thought I saw her smile back. "You know, you're not as bad as I thought you were, Tink."

She paused for a while and looked down on her black boots before replying. "Thanks, I guess."

"And oh, Tink?"

"Hmm?"

"You look great tonight."

* * *

_**Summer**_

I tried my best to concentrate on the movie. I really did. I've seen it before, and I loved it, but I just couldn't get myself into it right now.

Gads, I felt like bashing my head against the wall. Freddy Jones seemed to know exactly how to mess with my mind.

Who the hell gets away with saying crap like 'You're not as bad as I thought' and 'You look great tonight'? What exactly did he mean by that? What _did_ he think of me, then? Or rather, how bad was his opinion of me? I might not like him very much, and his opinion hardly matters but it still bothers me to some extent that someone has a negative notion about me. That's normal, isn't it?

And 'You look great tonight'? That's not something you'd tell someone you hardly like. Is it?

I snuck a look at him, and saw that he was completely absorbed in the movie. He was probably too busy shoving one handful of popcorn after another inside his mouth to notice that I was studying his features.

He was almost a complete opposite of Zack. Zack had a gentle air about him, with his longish dark hair that grew down to his eyelashes and deep, soulful eyes. He wasn't the dictionary definition of handsome but his mysterious demeanor drew people to him. Freddy, on the other hand, sported typical boyish good looks. You know, with the messy blond hair, mischievous blue eyes and his trademark impish grins. The only change I could note is that his jaw was more angular than it once had been, giving him a slightly chiseled look.

Their differences didn't stop there. While Zack liked to stay in the background and waited for people to ask him before he spoke up, Freddy made it a point to make himself heard, however useless some of his ideas were. But no matter how loud he can be, he wasn't one to bullshit.

So why was he starting now? Must he _always_ look for new ways to annoy me? Is it possible that he—

Stop! Why am I obsessing about this? I'm supposed to be watching a movie goddamnit!

'_Watch the friggin' movie, and quit torturing yourself Summer,' _I mentally berated myself. I reached into my popcorn tub and --

– my hand brushed against Freddy's, his skin warm against my own cold hand. I felt heat rise up from my nape, and my ears started to burn. I mean, hello? Physical contact inside a dark theater? I've watched enough movies to imagine what might happen next. So I did the only thing I could think of.

I slapped his hand away.

"Keep your hands in your own tub, Jones," I hissed and pulled my tub away. He withdrew his hand reflexively and glared at me as if to say 'What the hell?'

"But I already finished all of mine," he whined upon recovery, and reached over to try and get to my popcorn again.

"That was already the biggest size!"

"I'm a growing boy, I need my nutrition. Come _on, _Summer, gimme some."

"Buy another tub then, this is mine."

"I don't want to miss the movie!"

"Well that sucks, doesn't it?"

"Sshh!" someone from behind us said grumpily, and I muttered an apology.

"Would you shut up already? I want to watch the movie if you don't mind."

"You give me popcorn or I'll kiss you."

His blazing blue eyes bore into mine and my breath caught in my throat. I hadn't realized how close our faces were until that moment. The look in his eyes was so intense that I wouldn't be able to look away even if I wanted to. What the eff…was he serious? He couldn't be…could he?

But I could already feel his breath tickling my nose. His cologne was clouding up my senses, and I started to feel heady. My eyes started to flutter to a close…

And then, very suddenly, his arm shot out and snatched the popcorn tub from my hand. Within seconds, the tub was cradled in his arms and he was happily snacking on _my_ popcorn.

"Damn you, Spazz, that was low," I punched his shoulder, and crossed my arms on my chest. "All that for freakin' popcorn."

"What can I say, I like my junk food," he said, shoving another handful into his mouth.

"Pig," I muttered crossly.

Whatever doubts and sinful thoughts I might've been feeling and thinking earlier? They just got cancelled out.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

"Man, I'm telling you, that movie _never_ gets old!" I declared, shoving my hands back into my pockets as we made our way out of the theater.

"Yeah. I probably would've enjoyed it more if _some_body didn't pilfer my popcorn," Summer flashed me an irritated look before pushing past the swinging glass doors of the theater and stepped outside, with me following close behind.

"Hey, I paid for that movie, and that popcorn," I pointed out.

"A little tip on dating Spazzy; you _don't _buy your date food and eat it yourself. That's just not how it works in this planet."

"Yeah well, you weren't eating that much anyway," I shrugged, kicking a pebble down the sidewalk. "Now that I think about it, you look a little preoccupied all evening. What's up Tink?"

"Oh," she replied softly, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "It's nothing."

She didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it, so I didn't push further. Neither of us said anything for several seconds. All we could hear is the asphalt crunching beneath our shoes, and the leaves rustling in the light breeze.

"It's awfully cold tonight," she observed, her voice soft. I glanced over at her and watched as she rubbed her hands on her arms, shivering ever so slightly.

I shrugged my blue jacket of my shoulders and took it off. "Here," I said, holding it out toward her.

"Oh no, it's all right," she held up her hands in protest. Trust Summer to act all stubborn and difficult. I rolled my eyes and proceeded to put my jacket around her shoulders anyway.

I lingered purposefully behind her, taking in the scent of strawberries that was coming from her general direction. I noticed that early on in the theater, since we were seated side by side and all, but the smell was stronger now, probably because I was standing so close to her.

"Thanks," she murmured, and I pulled away, quite reluctantly. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that I loved strawberries like I loved my drums, and she smelled a lot like 'em. The strawberries, I mean.

I shook my head, trying to clear my senses of that particular scent I liked so much. Luckily, we passed by the park and something caught my eye.

"Hey, swings! I haven't been on one of those for _ages_!"

I stepped over the low fence of the playground and made my way towards the swings. During the day, this place was usually full of screaming kids, but right now, it was empty. The place looked peaceful, subdued even. Summer rolled her eyes and followed me halfheartedly. "Oh that's mature," I heard her mutter from behind me.

"Don't tell me you never enjoyed playing on these things," I said, settling down on one of the swings.

"Sure I did, when I was, like, nine." She took the one next to me and curled her hands around the iron chains that held the swing up.

I laughed and kicked off at the sand to get my swing to move. "Live a little, Tink. They're just swings."

I took a while before I realized that I was the only one laughing. Summer was just sitting there really quietly, her swing unmoving and her eyes trained on the ground as though it held the greatest secrets of the universe.

I dug my Chucks in the sand until my swing skidded to a stop "Yo Tink. What's up?" I asked her.

She tore her eyes away from the ground to look up at me.

"Spazz, remember, you told me earlier that I wasn't as bad as you thought I was?" she said.

"Yeah?"

There was a moment's hesitance before she spoke again. "Well…what did you think of me, really?"

I chanced a look at her. I guess her question took me by surprise. What _did _I think of her? I haven't really given it much thought.

"Well," I began, taking my time so I could choose my words carefully. "I didn't like you much"

"That much was obvious," she chuckled softly. "But why _don't_ you like me? Why'd you torture me the way you did?"

"Yeah well…you were such a know-it-all," I began, but then Summer interrupted by punching my shoulder. She was becoming very fond of that.

"I was _not,_" she pouted.

"Yes you were, don't argue," I told her. "Anyway like I was saying, you were an easy target. You always cried easily and got ticked off at the slightest jibes. I was a bully; I ate kids like you for breakfast."

"And when we grew up? I didn't cry as easily then did I?"

"Yeah but, you still get ticked off easily and it's funny. What? Don't look at me like that, it _was _funny," I said when I saw her give me a dirty look. "And then there's the fact that you always seemed so serious about everything, you know? I think you know that I don't like to take stuff too seriously. I guess I never really took the time to get to know you. I thought you'd be all like, obsessive-compulsive and all that shit."

"Yeah well, I was obsessive-compulsive, wasn't I?" she said, smiling down on her lap.

"You really were," I nodded. I chuckled to myself as I pictured her standing in Dewey's old apartment during practice, surrounded by band members and instruments, armed only with a clipboard and an angry glare. "I guess I've never noticed it before but you've changed quite a bit since then."

And she had. Changed I mean. She still took her studies more seriously than I ever would, but she'd become a bit more laid back. I mean, she went to see a movie with _me _didn't she? A year ago, she'd have fought tooth and nail, before she agreed to be left alone with me.

"That's probably Zack's doing," she said, breaking my train of thought. "He doesn't like it much when I'm too hard on myself."

It took a second for me to remember that Summer was Zack's girlfriend.

"Yeah, well you kind of changed him a little too," I commented. "He became a little more serious in school when you guys started hanging out. I was really pissed at you back then. I thought you were going to turn him into some sort of grade-conscious stiff and he'd stop hanging with me and Frankie."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that," Summer said sheepishly. "I kinda thought you guys were bad influence on him but hey, I didn't stop him from hanging out with you."

"Don't worry 'bout it, he didn't do that anyway," I waved a hand dismissively. "And besides, he seemed a lot happier when he was with you."

"Oh," she smiled at that, and I felt something twinge in my stomach. I couldn't explain what it was; I've never felt anything like it before.

I ignored it, whatever it was, and stood up.

"Come on Tink. It's getting late, and your boyfriend would probably kill me for keeping you out too long," I held out a hand to help her up, and she took it. When she had steadied herself on her feet, I let go of her hand with much reluctance. I then led the way back to the sidewalk and we began the short trip towards her apartment.

"About that," she began hesitantly. "I…I couldn't tell him."

"Color me confused," I raised my eyebrows, glancing at her. Her face was half-concealed by a curtain of her own dark hair, which gleamed dully in the moonlight.

She pulled back her hair over one shoulder so she could look at me better. "I couldn't tell Zack about…well…this," she said, indicating our agreement.

Okay, that was weird. Didn't she tell Zack everything? She usually does.

"Yeah? Why not?" I said

"I don't know," she admitted. "I just felt like I'm betraying his trust or something. He'd never admit it, but Zack can get easily jealous. Remember that one time when he beat up some guy because he thought he was flirting with me?"

I snorted. I did remember that time quite vividly. How could I not? I was the one who pulled Zack off the poor sap who discreetly attempted to flirt with Summer.

"Yeah but, _we're_ not doing anything wrong. At least, I'm not. But if you're falling head-over-heels in love with me, then I think we have a problem. Not that I could blame you, of course. I _am _devilishly attractive."

"I seriously doubt that, Jones. Falling in love with you is an act of insanity in itself," Summer countered. "Just look at Olivia."

"Touché, Tink. I think that actually hurt this time," I laughed. "I won't tell Zack anything, I'll leave that to you. He'll probably slit my throat with a guitar pick if I did, anyway."

"Thanks, Jones," she grinned at me, and I couldn't help grinning back.

The red brick building that was her apartment came looming into view. I slowed my pace, unconsciously wanting to prolong the walk as much as I can.

"Hey, I just noticed something," she said, stopping briefly. I gave her a puzzled look. "I never saw Olivia in the theater."

I mouthed a silent 'oh' of understanding. Right, so we haven't seen her, have we? Olivia was precisely the reason why we went out in the first place, and we didn't see even her creepy shadow. I should be complaining that the night is a complete waste, but I wasn't. Huh.

"Yeah well, she probably sent her invisible minions to keep watch," I shrugged and grabbed Summer's arm to get her to start walking again. "Besides, who the hell cares? I don't, that's for sure."

Summer laughed, and I chose not to tell her that this was the second time she really laughed at something I said. Before long, we found ourselves in front of her apartment's entrance. She stopped and turned to face me.

"I think I can take it from here," she said quietly, taking my jacket off her shoulders and handing it back to me. "Good night."

I put it on, and the scent of strawberries mixed with my own favorite cologne assaulted my nostrils. Quite frankly, I liked it.

"Good night," I told her. She smiled at me before she started up the steps of the entrance. I didn't leave right away, wanting to make sure that she made it safely inside the building before I left.

Halfway up, she stopped and turned around slowly.

"Oh. Before I forget," she said, running back down towards me. She stopped when she was directly in front of me and stood on tiptoes to give me a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks. I had a good time, surprisingly enough."

She grinned at me. I smiled back and ruffled her hair, vaguely noticing its silky texture. "No prob, Tink, so did I."

It was only when I was already lying on my bed that night, the skin on my cheek still burning from her kiss, when I realized that I meant what I said. I _did_ have a good time.

* * *

**_Summer_**

Would things still be the same, now that we knew each other's side of the story? Would he still pester me until I pull out the roots of my hair?

I didn't know why but these questions had been nagging me all weekend since Freddy dropped me off after that date. I haven't seen nor talked to him since then, and I was ready to explode. Obviously, I couldn't tell Zack. I didn't want to talk to Billy about this either; he might worry about my sanity. I mean, Freddy and I had a heart-to-heart talk, for crying out loud. That wasn't _normal_ for the two of us. And stupid me, I even kissed him on the cheek.

Not that the kiss meant anything. It was more of a truce…or a peace offering, you know? Since we've been fighting all our lives, maybe it's time to try something else. Like being friends. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I'm not too sure.

"You all right, Summer? You're awfully quiet," Billy asked me as Freddy's now familiar black Benz pulled up in front of our apartment building. I nodded, and gave Billy a reassuring smile.

"Good morning, sunshine!" said Freddy's exaggeratedly cheery voice when I got into the passenger seat of his car while Billy got in the backseat.

"It's six am on a Monday morning, Jones, what's wrong with you?" I raised an eyebrow at him. He was in an awfully good mood.

"Hah, I knew that'd get to you," he chuckled and revved up the engine.

'_Back to the old get-on-Summer's-nerves game,' _I thought, somewhat relieved. "That was a lame attempt Jones, but I'd give you a B for effort."

"Trust me, Tinky-Winky, I haven't even begun to try," he said, giving me a lopsided grin, before he pulled out of the driveway. I rolled my eyes, but allowed a smile to graze my lips.

So maybe things won't _exactly_ be the same between us. They're probably going to be better.

* * *

**A/N: **Whew…finished editing in the nick of time! Been pretty busy lately with our highschool yearbook, and I almost forgot that I'm supposed to post my update tonight. 

These are just the beginnings of physical attraction, and a civil relationship between the two main characters.

And oh, people! I've set up a Yahoo Group for What You Least Expect! Primarily, it would serve as a mailing list, but it can also be a discussion room of sorts. I'll answer your questions there, if you'd like. If anybody's interested, here's the address (just remember to remove the spaces in between):

http / groups . yahoo . com / group / whatyouleastexpect /

**Up next: Chapter 6 With Boredom Comes Insight**

Chocolate debates, gender issues, minor revelations, one lazy afternoon, 3 people, one roof. You do the math.

If you've read this chapter and you didn't review, I swear to God, I'll sic Olivia on you! Lol. Come on, make this pathetic author happy with lovely reviews, hmkay? Mwa!


	6. With Boredom Comes Insight

**What You Least Expect  
****- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
****Summer "Tinkerbell" Hathaway Loves Freddy "Spazzy McGee" Jones** – omg, that's gotta be the longest effing penname I've ever seen! But I agree with it completely. Aren't they just the cutest? Haha. Anyhew..thanks so much for reviewing as always.  
**Kara **– he does kinda make you wanna go 'awww', doesn't he? Hmm…He is a gentleman in his own right, what with the offering his jacket and opening doors for you if you let him. I see him as a huge walking contradiction actually. He treats the women he dates like they're princesses (as he's been taught to do so) but really, he's a complete jackass. Once he gets his booty, you're back on the nameless list of women on his scoreboard. Why settle for one, if you could be with a dozen, right? At least…he used to be like that. College…and the right person can change that. (Winks). Zack..we'll learn more about him through the course of the story, and he might just make an appearance somewhere in the future chapters.  
**Jojo** – hey thanks! You really think they've got depth? Wow. But you people should read _The Lies They Tell Us_ by _thesolitarydragon_ if you're looking for depth. This fic is chickenshit compared to that thing. Anyways, going back…Yep, they're relationship had always been strained before, what with the two of them always going at each other's throats. Add the Zack-bestfriend-and-boyfriend factor and poof! You've got a huge dilemma. That's why its such fun writing them!  
**A Bloody Vampire** – he's too hot for his own good. And geez, how I hoped that I was born in Highland Park Illinois, just so I could stalk Kevin Clark. Oh eww, wait, that just made me sound like Olivia.  
**D.M. Ralte **– why bother counting to three? I'd probably lock them up in a room until they fornicate. Whoops…that came out wrong. Zack…yes he's such a lovable character too, no? But he's only human. Let's leave it at that.  
**I am not a chipmunk **– holy geez, I was _that _predictable! I'm so ashamed…(hangs head) Which movie has that? I don't think I've seen any. Haha. Thanks for reviewing, as always!  
**August Coldfeather **– kamusta ka naman kabayan. Haha. I didn't think there are other Pinays in the School of Rock fandom, but it's good to meet one. Personally, yeah, I'm more into F/S, but some F/K fics (like Power to the Pout) are cool too. Absinthe, gad I love that bar. I wasn't able to resist putting it in.;p Thanks for reviewing!  
**Nanners77 – **I think you'll get to know Freddy a little better this chappie. ;p thanks for reviewing _Love Letter _too, by the way. :D  
**writingrox12** – thanks for reviewing _Love Letter! _

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note: _Names in _**bold and italics**_ mean a change in POV. The verses in **italics are _song lyrics_**

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 6: With Boredom Comes Insight** **_Freddy_**

'_Ugh…white plaster,' _I thought with disdain as I glared up at the ceiling. It's so…plain. Bland. Lifeless. Much like this afternoon.

"Summer," I said loudly, trying to get her attention. She was seated with her legs crossed on the swivel chair in front of her laptop, while I was stretched out comfortably atop the floral-print sheets of her carefully made bed, my hands crossed beneath my neck.

I know what you're thinking; and you're wrong. Dirty little pervs.

I'm here in her room because I was boring myself stupid at home. If you can call that hellhole of an apartment I had a home. I wasn't doing anything productive anyway, so I thought I'd come over here and bother Summer and Billy instead.

Billy, who was working on Summer's study table, looked up when I spoke, but Summer still didn't budge. "Summer," I tried again, turning over to my side.

"What do you want?" she replied, still not seeing the need to turn around.

"I'm bored," I said.

"Go home," was her curt reply.

"I'd still be bored."

"Can't you go and bother someone else for a change?"

"No."

"Fine."

Silence. Man, this was stupid. It's a weeknight, and there's nothing to do, nothing good on TV, and I don't think there's no place better to go to. I think I have a paper due next week, but…duh.

I asked Billy and Summer if they wanted to go somewhere, but they said we needed to study for tomorrow's test.

"Summer," I said, more to annoy her than anything, really. Hah, it worked. Her shoulders slumped before she turned around and pushed her glasses higher up her nose.

"What do you _want_?"

Wait a minute. Her _what? _"Did you always have glasses?" I asked, bewildered.

"Only when I'm reading, and when I'm on the computer," she said.

"Oh good, they make you look like a bug," I smirked and exaggerated widening my eyes. Reading glasses tended to magnify one's eyes a bit. It didn't look bad, really. It's just fun to watch Summer's eyebrow raise in irritation.

"Why are you even here?"

"Why'd you always have to ask me that?"

"Because you've been coming here almost everyday, and you never give me a good answer."

Right, so I don't. So?

"Because you have better food than I do," I told her the first excuse I came up with. That's true, at least. Both Summer and Billy can cook better than I do (I've just mastered the art of boiling eggs with Summer's help, and believe me, it wasn't easy), so I've made it a point to swing by during dinner time. And lunchtime.

All right, all right, I come here all the time. Like I said, I've grown to like their company. For two weeks now, I've been coming here every chance I get. Go ahead, sue me, I have money.

Before we made that deal, I would've been in a bar, getting drunk or scoring on multitudes of chicks. But our 'agreement' forbade me to do anything of the sort, so I couldn't do that now, can I? For some reason that even I couldn't imagine, I felt that I should honor the promise I made to Summer. So instead of fooling around, here I am. Hell, I think I'm even getting used to an alcohol and sex-free life.

Doesn't matter anymore anyway. After our initial movie date, Summer and I go out on Fridays and weekends, or the occasional weekday dinners. Sometimes Billy came along; other times it's just the two of us. Hanging with them seemed like a stupid idea at first. I mean, dude, who'd want to hang out with people who tell you you're an idiot on a daily basis? But then I realized that it was a refreshing change from all the eyelash batting and hair flipping that I've been getting from other people, so I stuck around.

"It's pointless talking to you, do you know that?" she sighed, and turned back to the laptop, her long ponytail swinging behind her. She always wore her hair in a ponytail, except for the times when we go out on more pretend-dates.

Back in high school, she usually leaves it down, so I asked her about it. She said she's always wanted to get a haircut because the weather was warmer here but Zack wouldn't let her because he liked her hair long. I told her Zack had a point. Summer had nice hair; it's really long, and it always reminds me of black silk. Part of the reason I was always tugging at her ponytail was because I like how her hair felt.

But she doesn't need to know that.

"We have a test on Accounting tomorrow. Aren't you going to study for it?" Billy said, dragging me back to the present abruptly.

"No," I said, not missing a beat.

"Sorry I asked," he rolled his eyes. He put down his pen, and got up on his feet. "I'm getting coffee. Want anything Summer? Peanut butter cups?"

"Yes please," she replied before Billy left for the kitchen.

"Peanut butter cups? Who the hell eats peanut butter cups?" I wondered out loud, getting up into a sitting position on the bed.

"What's wrong with peanut butter cups?"

"They give you diabetes, and they go straight to your thighs," I said. Obviously, I wasn't a big fan of chocolate as a snack food. They make me extremely thirsty and they never seem to satisfy my appetite. Now, pizza on the other hand…

"They go straight to your _thighs_?" Summer turned around to spare me a smirk. "Oh my goodness, dear Freddy. I didn't know you were in league with _Billy._"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Are you implying that I'm gay?"

"If the glittery pump fits," she smiled sweetly and gave me an appraising look. "Not that there's anything wrong with being gay. A lot of accomplished people in our society are gay. Leonardo Da Vinci, Oscar Wilde, Elton John, Keannu Reeves…"

"I'm not gay!"

"Thou dost protest too much, methinks," Summer quoted, laughing.

"You sound like a complete loon," I glared at her. "And I'm not gay."

"Whatever you say," she sang, her voice grating on my nerves.

Oh yeah? We'll see about that.

In my desire to get even, I walked up to her, grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her up to her feet.

"Hey! What's the big—" her voice trailed off when I my arms went around her, and my hands on the small of her back, pushing her towards me.

"Care to test that theory of yours?" I murmured in her ear.

Wrong move.

With her body pressed so closely against mine, I could hear her heavy breathing. She was looking at me strangely, a pink blush staining her cheeks. I haven't been this close to her since that night at the movies. I smelled strawberries again…and is it just me did her mouth have just the right shade of redness? Without any makeup too. I couldn't help wondering how they'd taste like…

At least, until Summer's fingers clamped around the skin of my abdomen and twisted. Hard.

"Bitch!" I yelled, releasing her immediately. I rubbed my side, feeling a bruise starting to form. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

She doubled over in laughter. "Sorry, Jones, but that fake I'm-going-to-kiss-you trick was getting old."

"What's this I'm hearing about a kiss?" said Billy who unceremoniously reappeared inside the room and tossed a pack of peanut butter cups to Summer.

"Freddy tried to kiss me to prove he isn't gay," Summer explained in a tone that would make you think she was commenting on the weather.

"I'm not gay, and I'm getting tired of this conversation," I declared, flopping back down on the bed with my arms crossed on my chest.

Billy arched an eyebrow, looked at me from head to foot, and clucked his tongue. "With that kind of fashion sense? Trust me hun, he's straight. My Gaydar has yet to fail me."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear the first part," I said.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I have to go to the supermarket," Billy said, picking up the car keys on Summer's bureau. Yeah, Summer's car keys. Billy knew how to drive, but he didn't want to get a car yet because he spends most of his money on materials that he needed for sewing up his designs. He never did give up on the fashion design bit. In the meantime, Summer let Billy share her convertible as long as he gave his share on the gas. "We're out of coffee, and there's nothing for dinner in the fridge except that leftover egg salad wannabe Spazzy here made last week, and personally, I'm not eating that," Billy said in explanation.

Summer cringed at the mention of the egg salad, and I couldn't help grinning. The concoction was positively rancid. "I guess you'd better go, then."

"Are you staying for dinner yet again, leech?" Billy then addressed me.

I gave him a wide grin. "When do I not?"

"Sometimes, I think we should start charging him for the food. He eats more than we do!" Billy told Summer, throwing up his hands in disbelief. Summer laughed heartily and Billy waved goodbye. "Be back in a few. And try not to kill each other while I'm gone."

When the door had swung shut again, Summer turned back to me, glaring. "I'm trying to study, so either you shut up or you go home."

"Fine," I grumbled, and satisfied myself by pacing around her room. By now, I've almost memorized every nook and cranny in not only her room, but also their whole apartment.

I went to the study desk Billy had been using, and picked up several books. I could try to study, that Accounting test _was _kind of a big deal. I sat down on the other swivel chair that Billy was occupying earlier, meaning to do just that.

On second thought…nah. All those numbers would only give me a headache. I'm good at Accounting anyway; I'll survive that test. Maybe I'll mess around Summer's stuff again, that's always a good pastime. Last week, I'd found all these Disney Classics DVDs and storybooks in her closet. I never knew she liked Disney that much. She sad _Peter Pan _had always been one of her favorites, which is why she didn't mind the Tinkerbell nickname Dewey gave her.

I put the books back where I got them and noticed a familiar volume sitting in the shelf. Summer's School of Rock scrapbook. I pulled it out and began rifling through the pages.

I didn't know we had this many photos. But I suppose this was what the roadies did when they didn't have anything to do during our practices. And I _have _seen Summer, or the groupies carrying a digital camera around with them sometimes too. Summer must've worked really hard to put this scrapbook together.

I began to smile as I looked at one picture to another. There's a photo of Lawrence laying out a music sheet on the keyboard. There's also one of Zack teaching Katie the bass for our new song. There's Summer, hands on her hips and yelling at me for being late again, and Zack trying to calm her down. There's Gordon, showing Billy and Marco the new light show he made on his laptop. Eleni and Michelle were here too, of course, posing as though they were in a photoshoot for a magazine.

There's one particularly funny picture of Katie as she tried to run away from Billy, who was carrying a shimmering sample outfit with him. Oh hey, there's Frankie and Leonard imitating the backup singers' dance moves. That's Dewey right there, his face hopelessly crumpled as he sang into the mic. And I think that blond guy in the shiny blue outfit was me wearing one of Billy's ridiculous costumes.

Ah, of course, photos of Zack and Summer, some of them included me holding up bunny ears behind Summer's head. There were pictures of the band in practice, the band playing in a gig somewhere, the band fooling around in Dewey's old apartment. There were also pieces of paper with some Zack's original songs, Billy's original designs, schedules of band practice and several newspaper clippings about us.

I felt my smile grow rueful as the memories came flooding back.

Okay…the truth was that…well. I missed Horace Green. I missed School of Rock. I missed the band, the crew, Dewey…everything. I wouldn't even be here if the band hadn't broken up. I was one of the few who were against the band breakup. One of the few who thought the band was his only life. Probably the only one.

Before Dewey came along, I had no idea what to do with my life. My parents told me what I should do, and I did what they told me. All the mischief and trouble I caused, and even that pseudo-playboy persona I put on were just attempts at gaining my own identity. I only learned to stand up for myself when I'd become part of the band. Like Zack's dad, they disapproved of my interest in rock, but I told them that it was I wanted and that it's the only thing that really made me feel good about myself so they let me indulge in it, given of course that I passed my subjects.

But then the band broke up, and I had to deal with it. So here I am, back to taking my parents orders. My family owned a chain of hotels all throughout the country so they made me take up business management, when all I really wanted to do was play our music. It's my father's idea; he said I could take over the business in the future.

My only consolation was that he let me keep my drums, and that he let me choose my own college. I chose the one Summer took (on Zack's tip, of course), so I'd be sure that there would be someone I knew. I didn't like her much then, but at least I knew what to expect from her. Zack asked if I wanted to try going to the conservatory with him and Katie, but I said no. I don't know why but I think playing music with other people just didn't feel right.

I guess the reason I hung out with Summer is because she was a reminder of everything I left behind. She _was _our band manager after all; she was the backbone and overall representative of the band.

And of course, there's also the fact that I'm starting to like her.

I shut the scrapbook with a snap, hoping these weird thoughts would go away. Damned boredom's starting to turn me crazy.

* * *

**_Summer_**

I heard a book snap shut, and I looked up from the calculations I was trying to figure out. Freddy was seated on my study table, and apparently had just finished looking through my scrapbook. Then he stood up and paced the room yet again.

I shrugged to myself and let him do what he wanted. I have no idea how his crazy mind worked, and I have no intention of trying to figure it out. I haven't even figured out why he suddenly wanted to hang out here every day. I tried to kick him out many times, but he was like dry rot. He never stays away permanently. Eventually, I got tired and let him stay when he wanted to.

It's strange isn't it? Not long ago, I didn't even want to be in the same planet as he is.

I guess he's not that bad, really. Annoying, yes, but hateful, no. I can tolerate him now, at least. And sometimes, I can even go as far as saying that I actually liked him. Contrary to popular belief, Freddy wasn't a complete idiot, even though he often acts like one. He's got some pretty interesting things to say, especially when it came to music. Like the rest of School of Rock, he always seemed so passionate when he talked about music. We spent a lot of our time arguing on which band is better, which album is the best and which genres of music should have never been invented. When we're not arguing, or studying, we go to movies or eat out and stuff together. He never listens when we tell him to buzz off anyway. He'd always forced his company on Billy and me, and now, I find myself looking for him when he's not around.

Of course, he doesn't need to know that.

"Hey Tink, what's this?" I heard him say, and I sighed in exasperation. How on earth am I supposed to concentrate with him interrupting every five seconds?

"Jones, if you're going through my underwear drawer again, I swear I'll choke you to death with a G-string," I snapped without turning around. Yes, he did go through my underwear drawer once, and I chased him out of the apartment with a broomstick. And yes, I have a G-string, but I never used it. It was a gift from Michelle and Eleni, who apparently thought that it would be funny to give me underwear on my sixteenth birthday.

"Yeah, but then you'd have to explain my dead carcass to Billy," he replied. "And a G-string around my neck might make him think I died because of kinky reasons, and you'd be in trouble with your boyfriend."

"Your ingenuity never ceases to amaze me," I rolled my eyes and spun around on the swivel chair to see what the fuss was about. "What did you find in there anyway?"

"This," he said, holding up the acoustic guitar in its black leather case. "Is this yours?"

"Yes, would you put it down please? It's fragile," I told him, but of course, he didn't listen. He unzipped the case and pulled out the instrument.

"As in you actually play it?"

"Nah, I just thought it was shiny and pretty and would make my closet look cuter," I said scathingly. "Of _course _I could play it, what else would I do with it?"

"I didn't know you could play the guitar," he said, bringing the instrument with him and settling down on the loveseat next to my study table.

"I told Zack that I hated the clarinet, and that I wanted to learn how to play something else, so he taught me," I explained, a smile creeping up my lips. I remembered the how Zack tried to hide the frustration on his face when I couldn't do a simple transition from an A chord to a G. "That guitar was from him, you know. He gave it to me on our second anniversary."

"Yeah?" Freddy grinned, and held the guitar out to me. "Play me something."

I shook my head. "No way. I'm not very good, and I know you'll only find another reason to laugh at me."

"I'll find another reason to laugh at you sooner or later anyway, so what's the difference? Go on, play. This thing needs to be used."

"I know only Michelle Branch songs," I protested as Freddy laid the instrument on my lap. Pathetic for someone who's managed a rock band, I know, but I was only a beginner, and those songs were easiest to memorize.

"I could deal with that," Freddy shrugged. "Summer, I'm waiting."

Obviously he wasn't going to let this up until I do what he wanted. "Fine, I'll play one song…if you promise to shut up and study for tomorrow's exam."

"Deal," he agreed. I shook my head and began to tune the strings the way I remembered Zack told me. Then I played the opening chords to Michelle Branch's _Breathe_, singing along to the lyrics I've long since memorized. This was the first song I ever learned on guitar, you see.

_I've been driving for an hour_

_Just talking to the rain_

_You say I've been driving you crazy_

_And it's keeping you away_

I felt my ears grow hot again, like they did earlier when Freddy tricked me into that hug. Yeah I laughed it off and acted like it wasn't a big deal, but that hug had unsettled me more than it should.

I'm surprised my voice had come out steady when I began to sing, because inside I was a nervous wreck. I kept my eyes on the strings, and tried to ignore the fact that Freddy was staring at me.

_So just give me one good reason_

_Tell me why I should stay_

_'Cause I don't wanna waste another moment_

_In saying things we never meant to say_

* * *

_**Freddy**_

I watched as Summer played the song without bothering to hide my admiration.

She sang along to the lyrics as she strummed the chords, and before long, I found myself tapping a rhythm on the desk with her pencils. It wasn't really my kind of music, but I had to admit, she can play. Of course, she's nowhere near as good as Zack, but it's a start. I never learned how to play guitar myself; my fingers just couldn't seem to cooperate. Her singing voice had gotten better too. It was by no means brilliant, but it was certainly better than it used to be. The only time I heard her sing was in fifth grade, when she tried to convince Dewey of her singing prowess with the song _Memory_ and failed miserably. The memory never fails to make me wince.

_And I take it just a little bit_

_I hold my breath and count to ten_

_I've been waiting for a chance to let you in_

My eyes traveled from her strumming fingers and up to her face, her brow furrowed in concentration. I felt myself begin to smile again. A strand of dark hair had fallen onto her eyes, and I had to resist a sudden urge to tuck it away for her.

It's not really a big secret that I've been with a _lot _of women before, but I've never met anyone who could make me smile and laugh like she can. I've also never met anyone fascinating enough to keep me wanting to spend time with her, even if she always told me do the world a favor and just hang myself.

_If I just breathe_

_Let it fill the space between_

_I'll know everything is all right_

This afternoon sure had been full of surprises, though not necessarily of the unpleasant sort.

I had to wonder then…How is it that I've known someone for so long, and not know anything about her that actually matters? I hadn't even known that she needed reading glasses, or that she was such a chocoholic and that she liked Disney so much. I hadn't known that although she had chosen to agree with the band breakup, the band still meant enough for her to spend her time and effort in putting that scrapbook together. These little things about her that I didn't know about…they were actually the things that make her so interesting, and I don't know how I've gone so long not knowing them. I mean, we've been classmates since kindergarten, and I knew every single thing that could infuriate her to the edge of her sanity, but other than that…there was nothing.

It just makes you think…doesn't it?

_Breathe_

_Every little piece of me_

_You'll see_

_Everything is all right_

_If I just breathe…_

* * *

_To be continued…_

**A/N:** And that's the getting-to-know-you phase one! Not much action and a bit boring, I know, but it all has a purpose. Like Rosalee Futch said in _Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, _one has to love another for her details…whatever that meant. Anyhoo, this chapter just shows Freddy's interest in Summer has been ignited, and that he wanted to get to know her better. I hope ya'll noticed the significance of the song there.

As you may have noticed, I only write about the significant events in the story, and the other less significant details are just mentioned in the passing. It's supposed to represent how much time has elapsed.

I guess no one's interested in the Y! Group. I'm keeping it though. I uploaded the room layouts (Summer's, Billy's and Freddy's) and the apartment layouts there. Also, I posted several pictures of actors and actresses who I thought would be perfect for the parts of the older SoR characters. So if anybody would want to see them here's the address:

http _colonslash slash_groups_dot _yahoo_dot _com_slash_ group_slash_ whatyouleastexpect

**Up Next: Chapter 7 I've Never  
**Alcohol plus former School of Rock members equal trouble and tender moments between the ex-drummer and the ex-manager.

_**Review pretty pretty please!**_


	7. I've Never

**What You Least Expect  
****- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
****Jojo **– aww, you're making me blush, really. Yep, love-hate is my favoritest cliché of all. XD Mucho thanks for the flattering reviews!**  
D.M. Ralte** – We'll get there, I promise. Haha. But I can't say it would be soon, sadly enough, because there's a _lot _more in store for Freddy and Summer. (I don't want to give anything away, so that's all I'm saying on the matter…for now anyway.) You just wait. In the meantime, keep the reviews coming, ok: )  
**August Coldfeather** – no prob, I really don't like to use the po and opo formalities either. Except maybe when I'm talking to me folks and grandparents. XD Freddy…I don't think he has the enough pizzazz to be Carson-y gay, but I love him anyway. Don't we all? ;P  
**Writingrox12** – is he getting the hots for her? You decide. : )  
**Nanners-77** – Yeah, I had to make her sing to incorporate the lyrics of the song to the fic. Oh yeah, update _Stereotypical Thoughts_! I haven't had the chance to review you on that but, yeah it's on my alert list.;p  
**i am not a chipmunk** – I kind of thought it was a bit cliché, but I'm really glad you liked it. :D  
**Kara** – Don't you have an account in Why don't you post your stories there, and let's see if they're predictable or not? Notify me if you've posted a story, okay:)  
**sweetcaroline** - gaaaak. So sorry 'bout the errors! I'm afraid my grammar has deteriorated quite a bit after I graduated from high school, and I'm not taking any comprehensive English classes anymore in college. (The medical field really doesn't require much knowledge in grammar, so yeah, my English now is less than perfect.);p thanks for reading, though! and please do update Mr. and Mrs. Jones!  
**Calli** – thank you, I hope you'll like this chapter:)  
**Me** – do you think they are? Yeah well…that's kind of the whole point of the story, really. ;p thanks for reviewing!  
**Kisshu-luv** – Here you go, the next chapter, just like I promised. Enjoy!  
**A Bloody Vampire** – oh you don't have to worry about Zack finding out just yet. We have a long way to go. ;p read on up and be smothered by SummerFreddy lovin'!

Disclaimer: School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note: _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in _italics _are flashbacks.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 7: I've Never****_Summer_**

"Veggie-dogs?" Freddy eyed the contents of a grocery bag I was carrying incredulously before he unceremoniously took it to carry it for me. Billy and I had done our grocery-shopping for the week, and like the true wart that he is, Freddy decided to join us. "Why can't you people eat real hotdogs, like normal people?"

"Because, Wilfred, some people like to stay healthy by limiting their red meat consumption," Billy rolled his eyes as we filed out the grocery's doorway and headed for my car.

I wasn't surprised to see Olivia on the way back, camera in hand and a blank expression on her face. She's like an incredibly creepy shadow; she's everywhere. Freddy instinctively reached for my hand when he saw her. With a roll of my eyes, I let him entwine our fingers together, like I've been getting used to. This had been going like clockwork now.

And once again I can't help comparing how his hands felt to Zack's. While both of them had roughened hands, Freddy's were a bit more textured than Zack's. Freddy's drumming required him to use of the entirety of his hands, so even his palms were rough. Zack's hands, however, were exceptionally coarse at the fingertips due to the pressing down of guitar strings, strumming and plucking.

I made a face. Why am I even comparing them? All these needless thinking is just earning me weird stares from Billy and Freddy.

I brushed the thought away.

"That girl doesn't know when to give up, does she?" I sighed as soon as Olivia was out of sight.

"I wouldn't be holding your grimy paw right now if she did," Freddy smirked.

I gave him a disapproving glare. "Let's see you fend off that psycho without this grimy paw, ingrate."

You'd think we'd be tired of going at each other's throats by now, seeing as we've been acting like a couple for nearly two months, but _noooo_. Our usual banter would've gone for several more minutes if not for somebody's interruption.

"Freddy, dude!" a deep voice boomed from behind us.

I turned around to see three familiar figures heading in our general direction. The one in the middle was a large, hulking male in a black leather jacket. On either side of him were two females, one with long strawberry blonde hair and another with sandy blonde hair cut in a stylishly short bob. The taller female walked like she was on a runway as she waved excitedly at…us? Yeah, I'm pretty sure she was waving at us.

As they drew nearer, I understood why I thought they were familiar. I broke into a huge grin when I realized that those three people heading for us were Frankie Massagli, Eleni Afflerbach and Michelle Green.

I think Freddy recognized them long before I did because the next thing I knew, he had dropped my hand and went speed walking down the sidewalk to give Frankie a high five.

"Hey, hey, hey! Frankie, bro, what's up?" he said with an animated laugh as the newcomers joined us. I couldn't suppress a chuckle myself as I watched him. Whenever Freddy saw or heard anything that had to do with School of Rock, he lit up like a Christmas tree. I have to admit, I was really happy to see old friends again too.

"Hi Summer, Billy," Eleni pecked us both on the cheek.

"Freddy, love, I haven't seen you in forever! How've you been?" Michelle threw her arms around Freddy's neck, giggling enthusiastically. Oh. FYI, Freddy and Michelle dated for a while back in high school. The short-lived relationship caused quite a stir in School of Rock, because she was the first and only girl he dated within the band. Poor Marta who had such a terrific crush on Freddy was found crying about it inside a bathroom cubicle one day.

I don't know why it bothers me so much whenever other women try to flirt with him, even if they knew that he's supposedly "taken". Shouldn't I be used to it? I mean, seeing him with other women happened all the time in Horace Green.

_It's band practice. They were on a break and Summer was in one of her moods. Why? Freddy was late yet again. And not only that, he brought some_one _with him. That someone, a she, sat on Dewey's ratty old couch next to Freddy, who had engaged her in a lip-lock slash gropefest. _

_She was what the band fondly called Freddy's " pick of the week". The School of Rock members were proud to admit that they had come up with the title, which they gave to any women who have been _involved _with their infamous drummer. _

_Summer, as well as the other band members, never really bothered with Freddy's affairs; it's just too hard to keep up. They let him do whatever the hell he wanted, as long as it didn't interfere with Summer's carefully planned practices. _

_Today was a different story._

"_I told you once, I told you a million times, you are _not _allowed to bring your women in here!" Summer reprimanded. She had pulled him into a corner (much to the pick-of-the-week's dismay) where she can rant however loudly she wanted. The others passed by them without a glance. Freddy and Summer in a fight was a normal occurrence in School of Rock. In fact, it happened so much that people worry when it _didn't_ happen. _

_A bored looking Freddy crossed his arms on his chest and sighed deeply. Not this again. _

"_I don't understand why we even have that stupid rule," he wrinkled his nose. _

"_How can you _not _understand? The rule is simple, even caveman could understand it!" Summer said, wide-eyed with disbelief. "Your women are distracting you, and it shows in your performance! Can't you just keep yourself from shoving your tongue down her throat for three hours? It won't kill you to hold your hormones once in a while!"_

_Far from being upset, Freddy put on a smirk. "Jealous much?" he said, waggling his eyebrows. "You know Tink, if you want me that much, just tell me. I can make some arrangements for you, Zack need not know."_

_Appalled, Summer's jaw dropped. "Gad Freddy, can you be more obnoxious? Why do you keep missing my point!" _

"_Yeah, yeah, I getcha, it won't happen again," the conceded with a roll of his eyes just so they could get this over with. "Can I go now?"_

_Summer seethed. "You make _bloody _sure you get me, or else," she said, determined to get the last word in. With that, she spun on her heel, her hair whipping Freddy across the face.  
_

And even long after we'd announced to anyone who cared that, yes, we were "dating", girls didn't stop themselves from flocking to him. He didn't do anything to stop them either, which made me all the more exasperated.

_Freddy leaned back against a wall in the Harrison Hallway, arms crossed over his chest and mouth curved upward in a seductive grin. Melissa, a very pretty Communication Arts student, had come up to him a while ago, and she hadn't stopped flirting coyly with him since. The Playboy in him couldn't help himself; he returned her attention, using his old tricks to keep her hanging. He was used to this kind of attention after all. It happened all the time to him. _

_Summer walked out of the ladies' room and arrived just in time to witness the ancient mating ritual. Her eyebrow twitched dangerously when she saw Freddy's hand tug at the other girl's braid as he made a comment. In turn, the other girl giggled and slapped Freddy's shoulder playfully._

_They weren't in band practice now, were they? He wasn't ruining any of her plans, was he? A trivial thing such as Freddy flirting with other girls really shouldn't upset her. But it did._

"_Freddy?" Summer said loudly, attempting to get the boy's attention. The attempt worked. Freddy instantly turned his head in her direction and met her hard gaze unflinchingly. He smiled at her, but didn't make a move towards her. He simply stayed where he was, that irritatingly charming smile still on his face. _

"_Hey babe," he said, his smile never faltering even when she was already burning holes into him with her glare. She made a mental note to smack him in the head for calling her 'babe' again. But that would be for later. _

"_What are you doing?" Summer asked, keeping her voice even as she advanced towards him. Melissa had long stopped giggling (thank God) and took to watching the exchange between Summer and Freddy with mild confusion. Why was the hottest boy in campus calling this…nobody 'babe'? Just when Melissa was about to ask him out too._

_Freddy gave a shrug. "Waiting for you, of course," he stated the fact as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. His hand shot forward, suddenly circling Summer's wrist so he could pull her next to him. He then straightened up and faced Melissa. "Mel, I don't think you've met my Summer. Summer, this is Melissa. Melissa, this is Summer, my girlfriend." _

_Melissa blinked. Did she hear correctly? "Excuse me…what?" _

"_His girlfriend," Summer repeated dutifully, shaking Melissa's hand rather briefly. Truth be told, she was tired of shooing off all these women. "If you'll excuse us, we have to get to lunch."_

_Summer dragged Freddy away and hissed at him under her breath. "I thought I already told you not to go fooling around with other women? That's the third time this week Jones."_

"_What the hell are you blathering on about?" Freddy asked, letting himself be dragged by the arm. "We were just talking!"_

_Summer laughed mirthlessly. "I'm willing to bet anything that if I hadn't come when I did, that…_girl_ would have already asked you out."_

"_And you think I'd really accept?"_

"_Yes I do."_

"_Come on babe, you know you're the only girl for me," Freddy teased, knowing the nickname would get to Summer. Summer, in turn, struggled to keep herself from blushing. She punched him in the stomach instead. It hardly hurt and only served to amuse Freddy more. _

"_Don't call me babe ever again," she spat and advanced a step so she was ahead of him. "And stop acting like Valentino or the deal's off."_

"_Whatever you say," Freddy chuckled, following Summer not far behind.  
_

I was pretty surprised when I saw that he actually kept his promise, although he sounded like he was kidding when he promised not to flirt with anyone anymore. He dropped all his Casanova antics and the number of women gradually decreased until they stopped trying to flirt with him altogether.

I thought his playboy days were over, but then I saw Freddy give Michelle a one-armed hug back. I chewed my tongue, very much annoyed. Again.

'_Get a hold of yourself, Summer. Michelle and Freddy are friends,' _I thought with a scowl.

Oh I'm not jealous. Really, I'm not. He's just not supposedto go hugging or touching females other than me _that_ intimately. It's in our agreement. Yeah…that's it.

Forcing myself to look away, I pasted a smile on my face.

"It's so great to see you guys again," I said to Eleni. "How'd you guys get here?"

"Oh, Frankie said he went here all the time to hang with Freddy," Eleni said, flipping her long blond hair over her shoulder. "We all live in a city not too far from here. He asked Michelle and I if we wanted to come along with him, and we agreed."

"I see," I nodded distractedly, watching Freddy disentangle himself from Michelle's grasp at the corner of my eye.

"So where are you off to now?" asked Billy.

"We were going for a drink, you guys should join us," Frankie said.

"I'm in," Freddy said, finally unhooking Michelle's arms from his neck and walking back to me. I felt a victorious grin creep up my cheeks. "Wanna come with us?"

I looked at Billy, who shrugged. "I guess it'd be OK," I told them with a smile.

"Great!" Freddy grinned, seeming genuinely pleased to hear we were going. I couldn't stop myself from smiling too.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

After that chance encounter near the grocery, we had driven to a somewhat popular bar and were now seated in one of the said bar's cozy round tables. Yeah, Frankie and I go to this place whenever he's in town, since this bar played the best music. I think the owner is a classic rock junkie so the sounds here are always excellent.

On my right sat Summer, and Michelle was on my left. Frankie was across from me, seated between Billy and Eleni. We had ordered a round of beers and I was almost done with my first mug. So was Frankie. Billy, Eleni and Michelle were only half done with theirs and Summer had barely touched hers. She said she didn't like how beer tasted.

"So how's life in that madhouse?" Frankie asked, blowing out puffs of cigarette smoke.

"Eh?" I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean college? 'S all right I guess."

"That's strange," Eleni grinned, leaning forward on the table and propping her chin up on her hand. "I never thought you'd think _college_ is all right. What happened to you, Spaz? I mean, I'd expect that from Summer, but you?"

I gave a chuckle. She had a point there.

"Yeah, well, I figured, I'd be here for some time, I might as well enjoy it," I shrugged before motioning for the waitress and ordering another beer.

"Aren't you guys in college?" Summer asked from beside me.

Frankie snorted. "Summer. Did you honestly think I'd even consider _college_ as an option?"

We all laughed. I'd always been known as a slacker, but Frankie was so much worse than I was.

"So what _do _you do?" Billy asked him.

"Bouncer for a few bars downtown," Frankie replied. He'd already told me about his bouncer gig some time ago. Guess he took that security position in School of Rock pretty seriously. Frankie was still a bit chunky, but his size was more due to muscle than fat. And I think joining the football team in high school helped a lot in his bodybuilding. "Act all tough, throw out a few drunk dudes, break up a few fights, meet a few chicks, then get paid. Easy as that. So what do I need college for?"

"And you two?" Summer asked the girls. I remembered then that Summer used to be very close friends with Eleni and Michelle. I guess they just grew apart when we hit high school. They were very different from the start anyway. Summer was pretty serious with school, but Eleni and Michelle were more into extracurricular activities and partying. They remained on good terms though.

"Personal shopper by day, bartender by night," Eleni said, putting down her mug of beer. "Frankie and I work in the same bar."

"I do a bit of ramp modeling, and I'm working on becoming a model for a magazine," Michelle said. No one was surprised. Michelle was model personified; tall, slender and gorgeous. She eats as much as I do, but doesn't seem able to gain weight. I actually dated her a while back, but it didn't last. None of my so-called relationships lasted. Like I said, commitment's just not my thing. But we're still good friends. I don't think she took dating seriously either.

"I'm still into fashion design, even though my mom coerced me into Business," Billy was saying to Michelle. "Maybe you could model for me one day. That is, if I ever get to do my own runway show."

Michelle laughed. "Of course! Give me a call when you do, okay? God knows I need to have as much job offers as I can handle."

"Hold on, I just need to get something," Frankie said abruptly, standing up and heading toward the bar. Eleni and Michelle exchanged glances and shrugged before we launched into another conversation.

"Well, I'm glad we ran into you guys. It's been ages since we saw anyone from HG," Eleni picked up Frankie's cigarette case and helped herself to a smoke, before passing it to me. I pulled out one and lighted it. Aaah, nicotine and alcohol. Two things I haven't had in quite a while.

Summer turned to me, a disgusted look on her face while I puffed away. "You _smoke?_"

"Yeah, since high school actually," I held the cigarette between my fingers. "Why?"

"Oh," she replied, pressing her lips together, obviously ticked off at something.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked, but she just shook her head and ignored my question before starting to talk to Eleni. I turned to Billy. "What's wrong with her?"

"Aren't you a clever one," Billy smirked. "What's wrong, Freddy, is that she doesn't like smokers much."

"Well she could've just _said_ so," I rolled my eyes, and snuffed out the cigarette on the ashtray. I think Summer saw what I did, because her eyebrow rose in surprise. She gave me a questioning look, and I shrugged in response. I've no idea why I wasted a perfectly good smoke either.

Thankfully, no one else noticed.

"So Freddy, are you dating anyone new?" Michelle asked, her mouth forming the provocative smile I knew all too well. I felt Summer's eyes dart towards me, and I struggled to keep my face blank as I tried to think of an answer.

I grinned back at her. "Michelle, hun, I thought we were never going down that path again. It just won't work, y'know?" I said, cleverly steering the conversation into another direction.

She laughed openly, and I knew she was just teasing. "Just curious. I mean, you _did _spend a lot of…energy on your various conquests. It's kind of hard to imagine you single and celibate."

Eleni and Billy burst out laughing, while Summer smirked at me. I opened my mouth to argue but then Frankie came back with a grin on his face and a bottle of Jose Cuervo in his hands.

"Anyone up for a game of 'I've Never'?"

* * *

_**Summer**_

I looked up at Frankie as though I thought he was insane.

"Well? You've never what?" I asked uncertainly as he sat back down and set the huge bottle of golden liquid at the center of the table. A waitress came after him and set down a plate of lemon slices, six shot glasses and a saltshaker next to the tequila bottle.

Billy chuckled. "It's a drinking game, hun."

"A _what_?"

"A drinking game," Eleni repeated and turned to me. "Okay, listen to me carefully. This is how you play."

I nodded hesitantly before Eleni began to explain the mechanics of the game.

"It's simple, really. If it's my turn, I'm going to say something I've never done before, and if any of you _has _done that thing I've never done, then you'd have to drink a shot of this baby right here." She pushed the tequila bottle forward with her fingers. "Same goes for everyone else."

"No scores, no winners, but its fun because you never know what you'll find out," Frankie added.

I hardly drank any alcohol, so my tolerance for the substance has always been ridiculously low. I doubt if it has improved any. And I haven't tried tequila before. What if I got drunk? Who knows what I'd do?

This is a bad idea.

"I'm in!" Michelle raised her hand excitedly.

Freddy shrugged. "Sounds like fun."

"Are we all in?" Frankie asked the table, unscrewing the bottle cap and pouring the first shot. The others voiced out their approval, and Frankie grinned. "Coolness. Who wants to go first?"

"Wait, I--" I blurted out before I lost my nerve. All eyes turned to me. Man, there was no way I was getting out of this without looking like a total dork. "—I'm not much of a drinker."

"Tell me if you think you can't take any more, I'll take your shots for you," Freddy offered, draping an arm on the back of my seat. "Besides, It's not like you'll be drinking much."

I wrinkled my nose at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Yeah, well, you're not the most adventurous person on the planet, are you?"

"We'll see about that."

* * *

_**Freddy**_

Through the haze of alcohol, I watched Summer take one shot after another, slightly amused. She looked completely out of place in the dimly lit bar, with the air thick with cigarette smoke and the smell of alcohol. The pink collared shirt and sensible jeans made her stick out like a sore thumb. By the way she wrinkled her nose every time she had to take a shot, it was obvious that she had never drank anything more than champagne before. Still she stayed to play the supposedly kinky game (involving tequila) and I had to give her credit for it. From the corner of my eye, I saw her grow redder with each shot she gulped. (She hasn't drunk that much yet, but from what Zack had told me long ago, she had very low alcohol tolerance.) Lemme tell you, red never looked better on anyone else.

_Pfft. _Which probably proves just how drunk I already am.

The game started innocently enough, the 'I've never' statements still boring and dorky. Well, that was sort of Michelle's fault because she asked Summer to start us off since its her first time to play the game. Summer, innocent virgin that she is, said "Uhh...I've never cheated on a major exam before?"

Frankie groaned audibly at that, Billy made a face and I rolled my eyes. Michelle and Eleni tolerated it though, and we progressed from there. (Everybody else in the table took a shot on that first 'I've never', in case anyone's wondering.) The first round of 'I've nevers' were all in the same level of lameness. Frankie said he's never gotten an A (all the girls and Billy took a shot on that one), I said I've never listened to an N'sync CD willingly (Michelle and Billy both took shots, and argued that they only listened to them because they were hot), Michelle said she's never had a relationship that lasted longer than a week (only Summer and Eleni drank to that) and Eleni said she's never had car trouble before (only Billy didn't take a shot on that; he didn't have a car yet).

Billy saved us all from the growing stupidity of the game by saying "I've never dated anyone in the band." Everybody took a shot, since Michelle and I dated before, Summer and Zack of course, Eleni had this weird thing with Gordon a few years back, and Frankie had dated Alicia. Eleni took it up another notch and said "I've never had sex with anyone in the band." We were kind of surprised at that, since she was once sort-of 'together' with Gordon. Frankie and Billy passed that one up. Both Michelle and I took shots, laughing madly. And to my surprise, so did Summer.

"You _have?_" I choked on the lemon slice I was sucking on and went on a coughing fit. Everybody laughed at my mishap, but I didn't see the humor in the situation. "With who?"

Summer blushed beet red, obviously uncomfortable with the idea of discussing her sex life. Eleni then saved her from answering.

"What planet are you _from_, Jones? With Zack of course," Eleni said, rolling her eyes. "They've been together for years, did you honestly _think_ they'd never get around to doing it?"

"Yes," I frowned. Eleni proceeded to interrogate the blushing Summer about when the first time she did it (on their first year anniversary, apparently) and where they did it (in a posh hotel) but I just listened half-heartedly. When Michelle asked if he was any good, Frankie groaned and covered his ears, begging for them to stop the girl talk. I silently thanked Frankie for the interruption, since wasn't too keen on listening to that either.

Sure, she's been Zack's girlfriend for a long time now, but I still found it hard to believe that she's no longer virgin. I'm not naive, but come on. She's one of the biggest prudes I've ever met, and Zack isn't exactly Mr. Aggressive either. How they even managed to get to second base was already a wonder in itself.

Then again, Zack never really told me what he did with Summer on the afternoons they were together, and I never really cared enough to ask. I just figured they'd be…studying or something lame like that.

Huh. No wonder he skipped out on most Friday poker nights with me and the boys.

The frown wouldn't leave my face, and the twisty feelings I get in my stomach when Summer talks about Zack suddenly reappeared.

Summer caught my eye, and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Disappointed to find out I'm not Mary Sue Homemaker, Spazzy?"

Because the _I've Nevers_ were becoming dirtier with each turn, I thought the pixie's shotglass would stay empty for most of the game. But it didn't.

Now I've played this game many times with many different people, but I've never felt this surprised before, and its Summer's doing. Well, Summer _and_ Billy (who would've thought that the queer dude has done it with the opposite sex?), but mostly Summer.

Oh no, it's not like she's gotten piss drunk and had a one-night stand with someone she hardly knew like Michelle, nor had she given someone head in a Ferris Wheel like Eleni but to find out that she's kissed a total stranger for a dare and that she's done something as risky as having sex with her boyfriend in her parents bedroom? Well, it's just a bit disturbing.

It was also quite fascinating.

Who knew she was capable of doing any of these things? I certainly didn't.

I guess I was just too busy hating her all these years to notice.

* * *

_**Summer**_

Reluctantly, I handed Frankie my shot glass and let him refill it. Although I was having fun, I didn't really didn't want to drink any more than I already have. I'm sure I haven't drunk as much as the others have, but my whole body already felt feverish, and the pulse on my neck was thumping like crazy. My head was also starting to hurt, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I took several deep breaths to calm my churning stomach.

Billy must have noticed, and he leaned in to ask me. "Summer? Are you all right? You look pale."

Freddy, red in the face, also turned to look at me. "Why, what's wrong?" I'm pretty sure he's drunk. Why wouldn't he be? He's had like three mugs of beer and then all those tequila shots. His eyes were glazed and his words were already a bit slurred. "You OK, Tink?"

"I'm fine," I waved my hand carelessly, and tried to smile.

"Don't be silly, I know you could hardly hold your liquor," Billy said. "Maybe we should go home, I have to meet my mother later tonight anyway."

I shook my head. Whoa, was it just me or is the earth spinning a little faster than usual? "No, really, I'm fine. I just need to hit the restroom, you guys continue playing. I should stop drinking anyway, I'm designated driver for tonight."

I stood up, very slowly and steadied myself on my wobbly legs. Geez, I _wish _the floor would stop spinning.

"You're going? Alone?" said Freddy.

Confused, I raised both eyebrows at him. "Uhh, yes? I think I can pee without anyone's help, thanksverymuch."

As if on cue, my knees gave way. I almost fell back down, if not for Freddy who caught me by the arms. I gave a sheepish giggle and said "Whoops."

"I'm going with you." He drained his own shot glass and set it down on the table before he got ready to stand up too.

"Geez, Jones, I'm just going to the restroom."

"You can hardly even stand up," he snorted. "And you see that guy by the bar? He's been checkin' you out since we got here. No way I'm letting you go by yourself."

I craned my neck, and sure enough, I saw the guy in a green shirt looking over in my general direction, and he raised his beer bottle at me when he saw me looking. I opened my mouth to respond to Freddy but Michelle beat me to it.

"Jeezus, Freddy sit down, will you? You're drunk, and you can hardly stand either. _I'll_ go with her if it's that big a deal!" Michelle said exasperatedly, picking up her purse before she hooked her arm in mine and walked with me to the commode.

Once inside the ladies' room, I hurriedly locked myself up in a cubicle and threw up like I usually do when I've already drunk too much. Bent over at the waist, I clutched my stomach with one hand and heaved so much that I must've turned my intestines inside out. I laid my other hand flat on the tiled wall of the cubicle to steady myself. I didn't leave the cubicle until I was sure I'd thrown up everything I could.

It was hell but I felt much better afterwards. At least the floor stopped spinning now.

Michelle was brushing her hair in front of the mirror when I got out.

"Feeling better?" she asked me, and I nodded. I stood beside her and turned on the faucet to wash my face. The cold water felt so good on my flushed skin.

"I'm sorry we forced you to play," she said, handing me a paper towel.

I smiled wanly at her. "What are you talking about? It's my fault. I knew I wasn't a drinker but I still joined the game. I suppose I just wanted to have a reason to stay. I've missed hanging with you people."

"Aww, that's so sweet!" she gushed, and proceeded to hug me. She and I might not be in the same crowd anymore, but she's not so bad. When we pulled apart, she studied my face and held out a hand that held a tiny pot of flavored lipgloss. "Lipgloss? You look a little pale."

I chuckled, but accepted anyway.

"Oh yeah, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," she began, looking thoughtful. "What's the deal with you and Spazzy? Are you guys, like, together now?"

"_What_?_"_ I dropped the pot of rouge in surprise. "No! I'm still with Zack. Whatever gave you that idea?"

"I just wondered, that's all," she shrugged. "I mean, you guys never used to like each other, but now you're acting all…I don't know. Friendly, I guess. It's just a little weird. And the fact that you're not, you know, together is even weirder."

Maybe this was why I stopped hanging around her. I could hardly understand what she was talking about. "Weirder? Like how?"

She sighed and began to explain. "You dating him is understandable. The boy _is_ hot, and he knows his stuff, if you get my meaning," she winked. "I remember that one time, in this guy's party, we--"

"No offense, Mitch, but I really _don't_ want to hear that," I cut her off. "You were saying?"

"Oh, right, sorry," she giggled. "Anyway, like I was saying, you dating him could be blamed on uncontrollable physical attraction. But if you guys aren't dating, and _still_ you're hanging with him? That must mean you actually _like _him. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," I replied slowly. And I did. "Let's just say I'm…required to like him."

Liar. I wasn't required to like him. I just liked him now, period. Michelle's right; it _was _weird.

"Oh, good. Just make sure it stays that way," Michelle said, sighing dramatically.

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at the blond. "You're not planning on getting back with him, are you?"

"God no," she laughed. I almost sighed with relief, but I caught myself in time. "I'm not going there again. Besides, he never dates the same person twice, and neither do I. He's hot, but he can be _such_ an asshole."

"Don't I know it," I muttered under my breath. But wait. He hasn't been much of an asshole lately, has he? At least, not anymore. Weird.

'_Again with the thinking,'_ I scolded myself. I then shook my head and turned to Michelle.

"We should probably get--"

"You guys," Eleni burst inside the restroom, sounding a bit panicked. "You'd better come back inside."

"We were just about to, why?" I asked, my eyes narrowing in alarm. Michelle and I followed her back to the bar and were met by a scene of chaos. There was a small group of people huddled together and they seemed to be watching some sort of brawl. I caught a flash of blond hair and immediately, I knew Freddy was in there.

"What's going on?" I rushed forward, the two blondes in tow.

"Freddy went to get more salt from the counter, and before we knew it he already got in a fight," Eleni said, her words running together. "Frankie's trying to break it up."

We shoved our way into the circle of onlookers until we were up front. True enough, Frankie and another guy were doing their best to keep the two other guys from mauling each other. I recognized the other guy as the one who raised his beer at me. A stream of obscenities kept issuing from Freddy's mouth as he struggled against Frankie.

It was a good thing that Frankie was pretty strong. He managed to drag Freddy outside, while Eleni, Michelle and Billy stayed inside the bar to do some damage control. I decided to go and follow the two boys.

"What just happened?" I asked as soon as we were on the street.

"It's no big deal, this happens all the time when he's drunk," Frankie shrugged, looping Freddy's arm around his shoulders to keep the blond from falling. "Hey Summer, could you drive Freddy home? I have to straighten out a few things here."

"Sure thing," I nodded. "But I have to wait for Billy."

"I'll drive Billy over later, Spazz needs to get home. He's completely trashed. Look at him, I think he's already passed out," Frankie said, glancing down at the blond drummer, whose head was currently lolling side to side. I agreed mutely and let Frankie lug Freddy into my car. I waved him goodbye just before I pulled out of the curb.

And just then, I realized that I had no idea where Freddy lived. I'm going to have to bring the boy home with me.

"You're more trouble than you're worth, Jones," I grit my teeth angrily as made my way home, cursing my dumb luck the entire time.

* * *

"So he can stay in your room then?" I asked Billy. As soon as I got inside my apartment, I deposited Freddy in Billy's bed and called him, quickly changing out of my wet clothes as we spoke on the phone. I'd worn the first thing I grabbed from my closet, which was a sleeveless white camisole and pajama bottoms.

It was a wonder how I managed to get the half-unconscious Freddy inside the apartment building. And as if having to carry him wasn't bad enough, it even started to rain, hard. Thank goodness there was guard on duty and he helped me bring Freddy up to my unit. So there I was, my hair dripping rainwater all over Billy's carpeted floor, while Freddy Jones lay sprawled on his carefully made bed.

"Yes, but don't let him throw up on my bed or anything, those sheets are _silk,_" Billy said from the other line. "I have to go, Summer. I'll see you in the morning."

I put my mobile phone on Billy's study table and went to get some towels for Freddy. I stood beside the bed, my arms folded on my chest, thinking of the best way to get him out of those clothes without actually having to touch him.

I made a face. _'This is _so _not my day.' _

Seeing no other option, I sat down on the edge of the bed and began to pull the drenched sweater off him. I tried to keep my eyes away from his naked top half while I used a towel to dry him up. (Where did those abs come from? He doesn't work out, does he?) And then, clamping my eyes shut, I undid his jeans and pulled it off too, together with his socks and sneakers. Only the black boxers remained now…

Ugh. There's no effing way I'm touching those. It's not all wet anyway; I suppose it's OK to leave it on.

I draped a blanket over him so he wouldn't get cold. I went to get our first aid kit and began clean up his wounds. He cut his lip during the fight, and there's a bruise forming on his left cheekbone. His knuckles were a bit bloody too, so I bandaged that up.

All the while I was attending to him he remained unconscious. He grimaced once or twice when I put ice on his bruise, but that was it.

This is the first time I've seen him asleep, and somehow I found it…endearing. His features had a peaceful, almost angelic quality to them that I never thought I'd associate with him. And for the first time in my life, I'd come to realize that he was indeed a beautiful boy. If I hadn't known who he was, I'd never think that this is the same boy who once left bugs in my desk or threw spitballs at me during band practice.

"You can be such a pain sometimes, you know that?" I whispered, touching his unmarred cheek gently. I traced a finger down his forehead, following the contours of his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose until I stopped on his thin, slightly parted lips. They felt soft and velvety smooth against my fingertip. Breathing heavily, I bit down on my own bottom lip unconsciously, and heat rushed through my entire body. I hoped it's just a fever and not…something else.

I blushed. _'So what if I thought he was cute? It just means that I have eyes, nothing more. Right?'_

Ah, what on earth am I thinking? My head was starting to throb with the beginnings of a hangover, and I think I can feel a fever coming on. I was so very tired…I really should go get some rest. I shook myself awake from the daze, and began to take my leave.

But before I could make another move, his hand shot out to grab my arm and I was dragged down forcefully until I was lying on the bed too. Freddy's arm and leg hooked around me, trapping me against him.

"What the hell—Jones! Let me go!" I tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but it only made him hold onto me tighter. "This isn't funny. You're not really unconscious are you?"

With my palms on his bare chest, I tried to push away from him but he moaned in protest. His arm curled tighter around my waist, holding me almost possessively.

I twisted my neck to look at him, but his expression didn't change. He was still knocked out.

'_Damn, what am I supposed to do now?' _I cursed, glaring at the wall behind him as though it was the one who wouldn't let me go. I was tired, and I felt sick. I didn't have the energy to fight him off. _'Maybe if I waited long enough, he'd loosen up his grip. I'll get up then. Yep, that sounds like a good plan.' _

I took a deep breath to calm myself, inhaling his scent as I did so. He smelled like his usual cologne and rain, and again it's making me heady. How was I supposed to leave if I got high on his cologne? So I did my best to turn on my side, so that my back was pressed against his chest. His arm remained around my waist, and his leg was thrown haphazardly over my own.

'_Hmm…' _I thought hazily. Lying here beside him…it felt somewhat nice. His arms around me gave off just enough warmth to shield me from the cool rainy night air. My head was resting on his arm, and I instinctively burrowed deeper into the bed to get more comfortable. He murmured unintelligible things in his sleep, his breath warm against my hair and his lips pressed soothingly on the back of my neck, which only made me feel very drowsy.

'_I shouldn't fall asleep,' _I told myself, trying to keep awake. If Billy came in and saw this…Damn. I didn't even want to think about that.

'_I won't fall asleep. When he loosens his grip, I'm out of here,'_ I kept saying inside my head like a mantra.

'_I won't fall asleep. I won't fall…asleep…I…won't…'_

* * *

_**Freddy**_

The first thing I could remember thinking was _'Where the fuck am I, and why is my head throbbing so much?'_

I wish someone would shut the damn lights; they're burning through my eyelids.

You'd think that someone who's been drunk more than necessary would be used to hangovers by now. Why am I hungover again?

…

Oh yeah. Frankie's stupid drinking game, I remember now. Things were slowly falling back into place. Well…most of them anyway. I can remember the fight; that would probably explain the aching bruise on my cheek. I can't remember how it started though…or who started it for that matter. The last thing I could recall before I passed out is Frankie dragging me out of the bar.

I wrenched my eyes open and it took a moment before my vision came into focus.

Sunlight was streaming through the window of an unfamiliar pale yellow wallpapered bedroom.

'_This is not my bedroom,'_ I thought, glancing at the surroundings without moving a muscle. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn this was Billy's room. All those Liza Minelli posters…it's unnerving.

I shut my eyes again, willing myself to fall back to sleep. My arm curled tighter and I realized that I was hugging…a small and decidedly _feminine _waist. An equally small and rather soft hand was laced with my own, holding my arm in place.

Shit. Who was it this time? Michelle? Or…heaven forbid…Billy? I wasn't _that_ drunk, was I?

Oh God, I'm going to be sick.

I dared myself to look down and saw a head of black hair nestled comfortably on my arm.

'_Oh. Summer,' _I thought, releasing a contented sigh. Closing my eyes once more, I let myself drown in the scent of strawberries. I left my arm where it was and I would have happily gone back to sleep…but then I realized what exactly was happening. My eyes flew open, and suddenly I was wide-awake.

"Summer!" I yelled, ignoring my headache and sitting up so quickly that I shoved her off the bed. She fell on the carpeted floor with a resounding thump.

"What's the big idea?" she croaked, her voice still groggy with sleep. Coughing, she sat up on the floor. "Oh God, my head _hurts_."

"What the hell happened?" I demanded, pulling the sheets towards me. Rubbing her eyes, she got up off the floor and sat down on the bed again.

"You mean, you don't remember? Anything?" she asked, somewhat sadly.

No. _Freaking_. Way.

"Wh—what do you mean?"

"From last night. You really don't remember?"

"You mean…" The question hung in the air, unfinished. She nodded mutely.

"Holy shit," I said, falling back into bed and covering my face with a pillow. Maybe I could smother myself with it until I die. Yep, that sounded like a good option right now. I can't believe I just had sex with Summer. _Summer, _of all people! Not that that would be so bad, but really, Zack would bury me alive if he finds out that I screwed--

I heard Summer snort…followed by giggling. I changed my mind about smothering myself and threw the pillow at her.

"What the bloody hell are you laughing at? Zack will murder the both of us!"

Far from becoming upset, she burst out laughing. "You—I can't believe you actually _fell_ for that!" she doubled over, laughing so hard, the whole bed shook.

"What?" Was I missing something?

"Nothing happened, freak," she said, when she sobered up a little. "How could you even think that anything _would_?"

"But…we're in the same bed, naked--"

"_You're _naked, I'm not," Summer shrugged, getting up and picking up a tortoiseshell brush from the side table and ran it through her hair.

"Why were you in my bed then?"

"First of all, this is _Billy's_ bed," she said, holding up the brush for emphasis. "Second of all, you should ask yourself why I slept on the same bed with you, I'm sure you know the answer to that."

"I wouldn't bother asking if I did," I frowned at her.

"If you must know, you _pulled_ me into bed with you last night," she said, raising an eyebrow at me. "I don't know why, but you did. I wanted to get out, but you just wouldn't let me."

I pulled her into bed with me? No way. Even I wouldn't do something that ridiculous. Unless I really wanted her to stay with me subconsciously, that is. Which isn't the case.

Right? Right.

"Yeah, like I'd really want to spoon with _you_," I said with a derisive chuckle. Seriously, how can she even joke at a time like this? "Really now, what happened?"

She rolled her eyes. "I already told you. Believe—" she sneezed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Excuse me."

"Bless you."

"Thanks. Anyway. Believe whatever you want to believe, Jones, I'm out of here."

With that, she stalked off, leaving me fuming in Billy's room and glaring at Liza Minelli.

--

"You could've at _least _made the bed," Billy frowned at me, as he straightened out the sheets on his bed. He arrived just before I went to take a shower. I'm wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday, which Summer had thrown in my face during breakfast before going back into her room. I know it's kind of gross, but it was either I wear my used clothes or Billy's freshly laundered ones.

One look at the glimmering thingamajiggies in Billy's closet, I decided to take my chances with my own used outfit.

"Sorry Frilly, I was about to but you beat me to it," I grinned, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"Liar," he scoffed. "Would you make yourself useful pick those up please?"

I guess this was why Summer retreated to her room early; to get out of cleaning Billy's room. The little sneak.

I rolled my eyes and went to clean up…whatever he wanted me to clean up. What's this mess anyway?

"Cotton balls? Betadine?" I muttered, picking up used pieces of cotton balls from the side table. There was also an empty icepack next to the bottle of Betadine solution.

"Summer should've known better than keep these lying around after use," Billy said, snatching up the bottle and icepack before I could say anything.

As I studied my bandaged hands, I remembered flashes of…memories? Yeah. Memories from last night. Memories of Summer drying up my hair, cleaning up the cuts on my face, and putting ice on the bruise.

'_You can be such a pain sometimes, you know that?'_ I thought I remembered hearing her voice and feeling her feather-light touch.

I rushed to my feet and went almost running to her room. Billy called after me, but I ignored him. The door was hanging open slightly, and I could only see a fraction of her room. Her back was to the door, but judging by the steady rise and fall of her shoulder, she's asleep.

"_Don't_ disturb her, the poor girl is sick," hissed Billy when he passed me on his way to their kitchen. "She said you two got caught in the rain last night and she got a bug."

Trying my best not to make a sound, I pushed the door wider and padded inside. I stopped only when I was right at her bedside, looking down at her figure, which was curled up slightly. The cold compress was resting on her pillow. It probably fell off when she turned on her side.

I put a hand on her forehead, and sure enough, I found her burning up.

Huh. Way to make me feel guilty. I snap at her, she walks out on me and _then _I find out that she'd taken care of me all night and I'd gotten her sick. Great.

I sat down slowly on the bed, careful not to weigh down the cushion too much so as not to wake her up. I brushed back the dark hair off her forehead and replaced the cold compress, holding it in place with my hand.

I found myself gazing at her a little too long…and suddenly I'm aware that the fluttering feeling in my chest isn't just guilt. Besides my mother, nobody had taken care of me that way before. Without knowing what I was doing, I leaned over and brushed my lips on her cheek very, very lightly, whispering a _thank you _as I did so.

She stirred a little, and murmured in her sleep, but didn't wake. I shook my head, unable to believe what I just did.

But before I could chastise myself, I came up with an idea. After pulling the bedcovers up to Summer's chin, I went back to Billy. He was flitting back and forth his room, trying to put everything back in perfect order.

"Billy? I need to pick up something in the supermarket," I said, earning a confused look from the other boy. "When I get back, could you help me out with something?"

* * *

_**Summer**_

My mobile phone was ringing incessantly, but my body seemed too heavy to get up and answer it. Whatever it was, it would have to wait. I don't want to get up right now. I _hated _being sick. Stupid fever.

Stupid Freddy.

I turned on my side, wanting to drown out the sound of my ringing phone until my cheek came in contact with something plastic. I opened my eyes against my will to see what it was.

"Peanut butter cups?" I managed to say through my clogged nose and aching throat. Yup, a huge, orange pack of Reese's peanut butter cups was sitting on my pillow. There was a Post-It stuck on the wrapper with a note scribbled on it.

'_Tink,_

_You don't get to open this until you're feeling better. No cheating!'  
_

It didn't say whom it was from, but one look at the messy handwriting, I knew it was from Freddy. What the heck is he thinking, leaving chocolates on my bed?

Sitting up, I reached over to my side table to see who had been calling. There were a lot of missed calls, and a voice message, all from Zack. I was just about to listen to the message when my bedroom door swung open.

"I thought I heard you moving about," said Billy, who had just come in, carrying a bowl of something that looked a lot like chicken soup. "Feeling better?"

"Oh, yes, thank you," I said, as he laid down the breakfast tray on my bed.

"Eat up, sweetie, you haven't eaten a thing all day," he urged me, and I smiled at him in thanks. I began to eat spoonfuls of the chicken soup, and looked up at Billy. "This is really good, thanks."

"_Really?_" he said, both of his very thin eyebrows rose in bewilderment. "That's weird."

Was Billy being modest? Now _that_ was weird. "Of course it is, you're a good cook," I told him, chuckling.

"I know," he replied. So much for him being modest. "But I didn't make that."

Now it was my turn to be bewildered. "What?"

"I didn't make that," he repeated. "Freddy did."

I gently picked up the note from the chocolate bag, unable to bite back a giddy smile.

* * *

_Voice Message From Zack:_

_Hey Summer. I've been calling you, but you're not answering your phone. Remember that choir competition I was telling you about? It's finally pushed through, and Duvall got into the finals. Most of our professors would be going out of state for it, so classes are cancelled until they return. In short, I'm coming down there for the weekend. If that's OK with you. Call me soon, 'ayt? Love you._

* * *

_to be continued…_

**A/N:** Oooh…spooning… A milestone! I hope that wasn't too gaggingly sappy. I hate to admit it, but I'm a sucker for sap. ;p So sorry if I disappointed anyone expecting a full-on makeout or sex scene. It's a little early for that. But rest assured, there _will _be more physical interaction later on, just be patient.;p

OK, I know Freddy knew squat about cooking but that's why he asked Billy's help. And besides, chicken soup isn't all that hard to make.

Yup, my Summer isn't virgin no more. I thought it made her more human, less perfect.

Zack's coming into town yes, but not on the next chapter.

And not that anyone cares, but I effing love Reese's peanut butter cups.

**Up Next: Chapter 8 Reality Check**

An afternoon of cleaning up ends up in a confusing predicament.

**_Review!_**


	8. Reality Check

**What You Least Expect  
- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
****Kisshu-luv** – he threw up? Geez. But it can't be that bad, if he managed to eat five bites, can it? Haha. More fluff huh? Hope this chappie's fluffy enough for ya.  
**writingrox12** – oh god, that review, short as it was, had me laughing like a maniac.  
**Mizz.Seniantha** – it was wasn't it? Thanks for the review!  
**i am not a chipmunk **– thank you! yupyup, Zack's coming next chapter! To know what happens to him, you'd have to stick around. We have a long way to go. ;p  
**Jojo** – I know, I think I need one too. S/F fics are becoming so rare, lately, no:(  
**Marshmallow Fluff Bunnies** – twenty pages, Arial 10! Would you believe that it was only around ten chapters before the edit? I've written all these chapters LONG ago, and when I edit, some details, scenes or flashbacks just pop in my mind so I put them in. yeah…hope you like this chapter as well. : )  
**D.M. Ralte** – Thank you, I do so try to steer clear of the clichés, although its inevitable sometimes. ;p No, we won't go deeper into the reason for that fight. I'd meant it to show a bit of jealousy on Freddy's part, but decided against it, so let's just say that he was drunk and the dude pissed him off for some stupid reason. We'll get to see him getting jealous in future chapters though.  
**Nanners-77** – yes, update! I'd really like to know what happens. It's annoying really, that the really good stories are the ones that are left unfinished. So update! Now! ;p  
**Me** – my, my, excited aren't we? Here you go then! Hope you enjoy!  
**Kara** – thank you! I'm really looking forward to writing an intense makeout scene, I'm just deciding on when in the story I should insert it. Their situation is very, _very _delicateyou see. Sometimes I wonder why I make it so hard for myself. It would've been a lot easier without Zack in the picture. Damn. Haha.  
**A Bloody Vampire** – yeah, I really wanted to make them do more, but like I said, its just too early. ;p  
**Gothic Ghost** – yayness for Reese's lovers! ;p

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.  
**Disclaimer 2:** One Tree Hill, and Thom Felicia of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy aren't mine either. (Obviously, I'm a fan of ETC channel)

_Note: _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in Italics are flashbacks.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 8: Reality Check  
**

_**Freddy**_

"You know, you should really try to study harder," Summer said reproachfully, looking over my shoulder to see how I did on our Philosophy test. "College isn't highschool you know."

"I don't remember asking for _your_ opinion," I snapped, folding up my test paper to hide the offending red 79 out of a hundred and shoved it in my pocket. Frankly, I thought my score was better than I expected, but apparently, she didn't. Damned perfectionist.

"Well excuse me for trying to help," she huffed, plopping down on the grass in our usual spot in the field for lunch. Like always, we saw Olivia on our way here, being her usual freak-of-the-nineties self. "I, for one, got a 98 out of a hundred."

"Oh my God, she _must_ be stupid," I placed my hands on either side of my face in mock surprise. "Yes Summer, we know you're the most intelligent person in the whole world, you can stop reminding us now, thank you."

Her mouth dropped open. "I did _not_ say that!"

"Could you two _not_ do this right now? _Trying_ to eat here," Billy cut in, obviously exasperated. The both of us muttered apologies and Summer brought out our lunches. I made a face at her, and she stuck her tongue out at me before biting into her sandwich savagely.

You'd think she'd be a bit nicer to me after I made an effort to make chicken soup for her when she was sick. (Technically, I made it. Billy was just sniping the instructions at me the whole time to make sure I didn't end up poisoning Summer.)

Well, she _did_ thank me, and I chalked that up as one of our very rare civil moments, but after that we were back to square one. Back to squabbling and arguing about the stupidest things.

But the thing is, I don't mind it so much anymore. Weird, huh?

"Snap out of it Spazz or I'll de-gel your hair," Summer threatened, snapping her fingers in front of me.

"You'll be doing him a favor, actually," Billy commented none-too-quietly.

I let the remark slide. "What's up?"

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" Summer frowned, and I grinned at her guiltily. "I said, Zack's coming down here for a few days, and wanted to know if he could stay in your apartment."

"Eh? Why? Can't he just stay in yours?" I wrinkled my nose.

"No, because unlike _some _people," she paused to look at me pointedly. "Zack actually tries to act like a gentleman."

I snorted. "What's he so worried about? It's not like you two haven't screwed before," I said, with just a hint of bitterness in my voice. Now where the hell did that come from?

"Watch the language, Jones," Summer said, blushing furiously, and I smirked in victory.

"Chill, Tink, I was just fooling around," I slapped her shoulder playfully. "'Course he could stay in my place. He didn't even have to ask."

"We call it common courtesy here in this era," Billy smiled at me sweetly, sarcasm clear in his voice.

"Thank you Mary Poppins," I said in mock gratitude, before turning back to Summer. "When's he coming over?"

She checked her Palm Pilot. "This Saturday."

"Shit, that's the day after tomorrow."

"So?"

"There isn't enough time to clean up the place," I said, recalling the current state of my pad, which was barely livable. Personally, I'm OK living in that hellhole, but Zack would probably freak.

"We don't have classes this Friday afternoon," Summer said, consulting her Palm Pilot once again. Sometimes, I wonder what she would do if I stole that Palm Pilot. She'd be lost without it. "I could help you out if you want."

"Thanks Tink," I grinned at her. "Wanna help out too Frilly?"

"Do I _look_ like Thom Felicia?" he responded bitingly. I was about to say "Do you really want me to answer that?" but he beat me to it. "Of _course _not. I've never been to your house, Freddy, but I'm sure I won't survive it. So, no, I think I'll pass."

"Are you sure? It can't be that bad, can it?" Summer asked Billy. All I could do was bite back a smirk.

* * *

_**Summer**_

"Oh my God, Jones," I gasped in horror. "You've been _robbed!_"

"What are you talk—oh," he said, grinning sheepishly again. He opened the door fully and revealed the rest of the pandemonium that was his apartment. "Uhh…Welcome to mi casa?"

All that came out of my mouth then was a whimper. '_This is a nightmare. I'll wake up any minute now. This was a _very _bad idea Summer. Very bad indeed.' _

"Oi, Summer, did you die on me already?" Freddy poked my arm to snap me out of my reverie.

"Very nearly, Spazz," I whistled. "You said the place needed to be cleaned up, not burned down."

"I'm a little sloppy, so sue me."

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "Trust me, Spazz. This is _way_ beyond sloppy."

Pizza boxes and empty beer and soda cans littered most of the living room's floor space. The couch was stained with what looked like spaghetti sauce. The small kitchen counter held empty containers of microwaveable dinners. I walked towards the kitchen (stepping on something squishy along the way; I didn't stick around to find out what it was) and nearly gagged when I saw his sink. It already had its own _ecosystem _for crying out loud!

I tiptoed across the hall and pushed open his bedroom door, to see the extent of the damage. As I expected, rock bands were everywhere. Posters covered every inch of his walls. His clothes and shoes were all over the place, and…eww, are those his boxers on the windowsill? Gross.

Then there's his alleged study table. My heart broke when I saw that his books lay untouched on the shelf next to the computer. The only socially acceptable spot in the area was where he set up his drums. The thing was spotless.

I whirled around and glared at him "How the hell can you live like this, Jones?"

"You still wondering why I'm always at your place?" he grinned back at me, not fazed in the least.

I sighed. "All right. We're going to need plenty of garbage bags, several cans of Lysol and Baygon, some rubber gloves and possibly a blowtorch and a stun gun," I told him, ticking off the items on my fingers.

"A stun gun? What for?"

"Who knows what's been breeding in here," I shuddered. "Go and get me a vacuum cleaner, would you? And _please_, do something about your dirty laundry. I'm _so_ not touching them."

"Yes ma'am," Freddy rolled his eyes and mock-saluted me.

I gathered my hair up in a ponytail. This is going to be a loooooooong afternoon.

* * *

We had only finished gathering up all his dirty laundry. Freddy had gone to the cleaners on the first floor of his apartment to get his laundry done, and I stayed behind to clean out his closet. It was a mess in there too, unsurprisingly. But I did find something quite interesting. It was a small cardboard box full of CDs, photographs and albums. I dragged it out from the closet to the foot of the bed and sat down on the floor to examine its contents. 

I picked up a gold-framed photograph from the box. The pictured showed three people. The one in the middle was Freddy in his black graduation toga, his diploma clutched in his hand. On either side of him were two adults, one man and one woman. They both wore crisp business suits, and the three of them were smiling at the camera.

"Hey Tink, I'm back," said Freddy, who now walked back in his room toward me. He eyed the box I was going through with mild curiosity. "What'cha got there?"

I ignored his question and asked him one of mine. "Are they your parents, Freddy?"

He arched an eyebrow at the odd question and plopped down on the floor, sitting Indian-style beside me. He peered over my shoulder. "Oh. Yeah."

"Your mom's really pretty," I said, studying the picture further. True, the woman on Freddy's left had delicate features and golden hair that she tied back in a bun. "But you look more like your dad. Except for the hair."

"I get that a lot," was his brisk reply.

"What are they like? Are they nice?" I said, attempting to make conversation.

"I suppose so…they're OK, I guess," he shrugged, drawing up his knees and leaning back on the bed.

I frowned. Was it just me, or was Freddy not too keen on talking about his parents?

"You don't talk about them much," I went on, placing the frame back inside the cardboard box.

"There isn't really much to say," he said, shrugging yet again. He stared at a particularly invisible spot on the floor as he spoke. "They're hardly ever home anyway, so I don't know them very well."

"Doesn't it get…I don't know…lonely?" I asked, reaching out a hesitant hand and laid it on top of his. His hand jerked slightly, as though surprised at the sudden contact, but he didn't pull away. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, trying to see gauge his expression.

"Not really. At least, at first," he said, his forehead wrinkling as he tried to remember. "My sister used to keep me company, so I really didn't mind that my parents were never home."

"You have a sister?" I blurted out, amazed. I always thought he was an only child. "How come I've never seen her before?

He chuckled. "Oh you've seen her, maybe you just can't remember. She used to go to Horace Green too, but she's older than me by four years." He lifted himself up a little and pulled out a leather wallet from his back pocket before settling back down. I watched with mild curiosity as he flipped it open and pulled out a wallet sized photo printout. "Here," he said, handing the printout to me. "This was taken about two years ago, when I last went to see her."

The photo was of him and an older looking girl who I assumed was his sister. They had the same blue eyes and the same blond hair. They even had the same impish smile, but unlike Freddy's thin lips, hers were a bit fuller. Her features were softer than his too, more curvy and less angular. I thought she looked familiar, but for the life of me, I don't know where I've seen her before, or if I _have _seen her before.

"We've been to your house before, but I don't think I've seen her there," I said, trying hard to search my memory. Yeah…I've been to his house before, for band meetings. All band practices were held at Dewey's studio apartment but we sometimes held band meetings in a different member's house each week.

"She's…not exactly living with us anymore," he said slowly, and I perked up to listen to him. "For like, eight years now."

The statement piqued my interest further. "What happened?" I asked, unable to help myself.

He frowned, and looked at me oddly. "Why are we talking about this again?"

"Nothing really, I just wanted to know," I shrugged, returning his gaze. I knew I was poking around in other people's business, but I can't help it. I'm always like this when I'm curious. "Do you mind my asking?"

"I guess…I guess I don't,"he said, looking mildly surprised with himself. "But it's kind of a long story…you mind if I give you the Reader's Digest version?"

"No, go ahead. I'm listening," I replied, pulling my legs up and scooted closer to him.

Freddy tilted his chin up slightly, his head falling back against the mattress and his gaze fixed up at the ceiling. "Well…I'm a lot like her. We both got into a lot of trouble," he began. His hand shifted beneath mine, probably to get more comfortable. "She didn't like the fact that as we grew up, our parents spent more time at work, and less time with us. Sometimes, they just send us presents and shit on our birthdays and on Christmas."

I remained silent, but I think understood how her sister must've felt. I wouldn't like it either if my parents were like that.

"I really didn't care at the time. They were presents, y'know?" he went on. "But she hated it. She rebelled against our parents. She flunked all her subjects on purpose, joined some gang and got arrested a couple of times," he paused for breath and I took the chance to lean casually against his shoulder as I waited for him to continue. "When dad found out about all that, he blew up at her. She yelled back at him, asking why they cared now, when they didn't care before. They fought for hours and in the end my dad refused to acknowledge that she was his daughter, and she ran off to live with my Grandma."

We were quiet for a little while, and I couldn't help thinking about my own perfect sister who was probably a complete opposite of his. I guess this was just another one of our many differences.

"You said she hasn't been living with you for eight years now," I said after a moment's silence. "So all that happened when we were in fifth grade?"

"Yeah, a week after we met Dewey," he nodded, his mouth slowly widening to form a small grin. "Good timing, huh? The band helped get my mind off things. The maids in our house aren't as fun as she was, and it got a bit lonely without her."

He was drawing circles on my palm, somewhat unconsciously, but I barely noticed. I was wordlessly awed at all these newfound information.

"I can't believe I just told you all that," he said, chuckling softly.

"You mean you've never told anybody?"

"Nope. Nobody cared enough to ask, I guess."

A silence settled between us. I remember now that Freddy offered to host the meetings more often than anyone else. I used to think that it was because out of all of us, his house was easily the biggest. Now…I'm not so sure. I chanced a look up at him. There wasn't a hint of sadness or anger or anything of the sort in his expression, but I couldn't help feeling the weight of his words. Who knew that Freddy Jones, the boy I thought was perpetually and excessively cheerful, had a burden like this? I didn't. What kind of friend was I? Suddenly, I felt ashamed of myself.

I had to change the subject.

"What do they do when they're not home?" I asked, breaking the silence. He raised an eyebrow at me quizzically. "Your parents, I mean. Do you know?"

"Mostly they go on business trips together, you know, for the hotels," he explained.

"Oh yeah…" I then remembered that the source of the Joneses fortune was their chain of five-star hotels. Then something just occurred to me. "Is that why you're in Business Management?"

"You could say that, yeah. They thought I could carry on with the family business, being the sole heir and all that shit," he admitted, nodding dully. "Boy, were they were glad when the band broke up. They didn't really like me getting into rock and stuff. I think they tolerated it because it wasn't as bad as what my sister had done."

"Is this what you want? College, I mean," I asked, even though I was almost sure of the answer.

He gave me an odd look again before giving a grim chuckle. "I thought I made obvious what I wanted on our last band meeting. Don't you remember?" he said, tilting his head to the side and looked at me, his eyes twinkling in memory.

I remembered. It was on that last band meeting that we all agreed on the band breakup.

'_No…not all,' _I reminded myself. _'Majority wanted it…but not all of us did.' _

No. Dewey was against it, and so was Freddy. Freddy and I had fought again on that afternoon. I guess it was because it was I who announced the decision of the other band members and crew, and he vented his anger out on me. Of course I had to explain the others' side. He completely lost his head, and exploded. He kept yelling, and I yelled back, trying to make him understand. Oh God…the shouting was _tremendous. _He didn't understand why we couldn't just keep the band going. I didn't understand why he couldn't just move on. It was only when Zack told me how Freddy felt had I understood.

'_He said it was the only thing that made him happy, Sum,' _Zack had told me on the phone, that same evening. _'You can't blame the guy for feeling that way. I felt the same, but at least I have you. He didn't have anything else.' _

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, the apology rolling off my tongue with remarkable ease. Strange. Usually, I would rather have died a painful death than apologize to the drummer.

"Eh? What for?" he asked. I was a bit startled when he gave my hand a squeeze. During the course of the conversation, our hands seemed to have tangled into each other without us noticing. I didn't mind it much, though. It felt natural, comforting even. And by the way he didn't pull away, I'd say he felt the same.

"For yelling at you. For the band breakup," I went on,

"What're you sorry for? That wasn't your fault," he laughed softly, clapping my shoulder. "Besides, that was a long time ago. And you know what they say, no use crying over spilt vodka and all."

I quirked an eyebrow. "I believe the expression is 'no use crying over spilt _milk_'."

"Milk's for sissies," Freddy waved a hand dismissively. And just like that, the mood in the room lightened up considerably. "What else is in that box? I hardly remember bringing it."

"You hardly remember _anything,_" I said, releasing my hold on his hand and stood up. "Come on, Jones, we still have a lot of work to do,"

"Yeah, yeah, in a second."

I shook my head as he began pawing through the box, spilling its contents on the floor. I was about to resume the cleaning when he let out a horrified yell.

With that yell, he sent a Metallica CD flying in the air, and it narrowly missed hitting my shoulder. Freddy had scrambled onto his feet, his face stark white. The CD landed back down on the carpeted floor with a thump.

"What is it?" I asked, my own heartbeat speeding up in alarm. He mumbled something under his breath that I couldn't quite understand. "_What?_"

"Spider," he said meekly, the blood rushing back to his face as he glared at the CD. Indeed, there was a house spider on the CD's plastic case. The tiny thing scuttled on its many legs until it disappeared under the drumkit.

"Spider," I repeated, incredulous. "You nearly knocked me out with a CD because of a freakin' _spider?_"

"I don't like spiders," he shrugged, his eyes darting to and fro as though checking to see if the spider had really gone.

I stared at him for a while before I burst out laughing. "Got _milk,_ sissy-boy?" I said in between chuckles. "I don't believe it. Freddy Jones, scared of the teensy weensy spider," I said, and dissolved into another fit of giggles. I couldn't help it, it was just too funny.

"I'm not _scared,_" he growled, defensive. "I just don't like spiders. There's a difference."

"There isn't," I snickered. "Fraidy cat…or should I say _Freddy _Cat?"

"Remind me to laugh later," he glared at me darkly. "You tell anyone about this Hathaway, you die."

"Temper, temper," I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. I turned on my heel and went to his study desk to start tidying it up. "Don't worry, Freddy Cat, your secret's safe with—Eew, roach!" I shrieked, running away from the desk blindly. I tripped on the carpet and fell smack into Freddy's chest. I didn't care; I just wanted to get away from the creepy little creature as much as I could.

"Eew, eew, eew, kill it!" I cried, burying my face in Freddy's shirt. In case anyone's wondering, I was deathly afraid of cockroaches. Spiders, I could take. At least _they_ don't fly. "What are you doing? Kill it!"

"It got away," Freddy said. I loosed my grip on the cloth of his T-shirt and sighed in relief. It was only when I took a deep breath that I suddenly became aware of our closeness. I pushed away from him before I got high on his cologne. When I looked up, he was smirking at me.

"Fraidy Cat, huh?" he said cheekily. I made a face and pounded my fists on his chest.

"Get back to work, loser," I said lamely and went back to the study table, wary for any sign of movement. I tried to block out Freddy's suppressed snickers as I cleared the desk. I also tried to clear my senses of that stupid cologne. I think I'm developing a partiality for it.

It's a good thing my back's to him though. At least he couldn't see me blush.

* * *

**_Freddy_**

It was grueling. It was exhausting. But most importantly, it was over.

We actually finished cleaning up my disgusting apartment in a matter of hours. I never thought it was possible to get this place straightened up but here it was, spic-and-span.

Armed with a vacuum cleaner, a broom and dustpan, Summer cleaned out my room. She used tongs to pick up my dirty clothes and I put them all in a laundry bag. She was surprised to find out that the room had twin beds. I told her, so was I. It's been a long time since I saw this place clean, and I think I had forgotten that there were two beds in my room. Yeah well, at least now we know Zack's not sleeping on the couch.

She also discovered my long lost porn collection under my study table, and seemed quite fascinated with it. (For your information, I haven't touched those in a long time. I just brought them along for…sentimental reasons)

"_Whoa, seriously, it could _bend_ like that?" she commented loudly, staring wide-eyed at the centerfold of one the Special Edition magazines. "She's _so_ going to pull a muscle, doing that."_

"_Since Zack's coming home anyway, why not give it a try?" Freddy nudged her shoulder. Summer slapped him with the magazine she was holding._

"_You're right, Zack's not really flexible enough," Freddy laughed and went on teasing the blushing pixie. "If you're willing though, I could show you a few tricks."_

_Freddy ducked just in time to miss another magazine that Summer chucked in his direction. _

"_Get back to work, you vile, disgusting rodent!" she yelled, chasing the blond boy out of the room, amusing him to no end. _

She put my study table in order, probably in hopes of getting me to use it. Fat chance, dude, but I've got to give her credit for trying. She wondered how I studied without having to open my books. I told her I didn't bother with mine, since she and Billy had the same books (complete with highlights and sidenotes) anyway, and I could borrow those.

And while she was changing the linens in my room, I picked up all the trash from the living room until I could see the hardwood floor again. Summer helped me get the stains out of the rugs and the couch. She's pretty good at this household stuff. Then again, so was Zack. If there was anything they had in common, it was their being neat freaks.

We cleaned out the bathroom, which took only a little while. Hey, I might be a slob, but I have impeccable hygiene. (Oh yeah, I'm just a huge walking contradiction.) Second to my drumkit, my bathroom was the cleanest place in my apartment.

She plainly refused to go near the sink though. I didn't blame her; it's the most repulsive thing I've ever seen in my life. She handed me the muriatic acid solution and gave me instructions on how to unclog the drainage, before starting to clean up the kitchen counter.

"And if anything jumps out at you, shoot to kill," she had said, bidding me good luck.

But in the end, we still managed to do a good job. I wouldn't have been able to recognize the place if I hadn't helped put it right.

And although I was exhausted, I think I just had the time of my life. Who knew a stupid thing like _cleaning _could be that fun?

Well. Maybe it had something to do with Summer helping me with it. The part when we talked about my family was weird, but it also felt good to finally tell someone. I was kind of surprised how easy it was for me to tell her, though.

And then there was that whole cockroach incident. I smirked at the memory.

"Was that the last of 'em?" I asked when I got back from putting out the garbage bags.

"Yes, thank God," Summer sighed and collapsed on the couch, one arm covering her eyes. "Man, I'm _beat_. You owe me big time, Jones."

I grabbed the remote (Summer found it in the refrigerator. How'd that get in there? We had to thaw it before I could use it properly again) from the coffee table and sat next to her. "I'm going to let your boyfriend abuse my hospitality, so we're even."

I turned on the television and tuned into Star Sports. Hah, just in time for football. I never used to like football. It's all Frankie's influence.

"What time is it?" she asked, peeking at me from under her arm.

"Six-oh-five," I told her offhandedly as I waited for the score updates.

"_What!_" she shrieked, sitting up immediately and snatched the remote from my thigh. She aimed at the television, and all at once, my football game was replaced by Chad Michael Murray's stupid soap.

"What the hell was that!" I glared at her.

"One Tree Hill's new season is starting tonight," she replied, leaning forward, and gazing dreamily at the TV. I scowled. I honestly don't know what chicks see in that Murray dude.

"And I should care because?" I grabbed the remote back from her and turned it back to my football game.

"I want to know what happens to Brooke and Lucas." _Flip_

"Wait for the reruns then, because I _don't_." _Flip._

"They're not playing the reruns until next month!" _Flip._

"It's _my_ house, and _my_ TV, I'm calling the shots." _Flip._

"You won't even have the bloody remote control if I hadn't found it!" _Flip._

"Still doesn't change the fact that it's mine." _Flip._

And thus started the great Battle for the Remote control. She stole the remote, and I lunged after her. We fought for it, both laughing hysterically, for God knows how long.

That is, until she had gotten hold of the remote again, hid it behind her back and lied down on it. I had dived after her and sometime in the tussle, my right arm had gotten trapped beneath her too. I landed directly on top of her on the couch, her neck pinning down my left arm. Her cheeks were flushed with laughter, and her eyes were dancing with mirth. It took her some time before she realized that she was the only one laughing.

I don't know what happened, but suddenly, I just couldn't look away from her.

And for some reason, she didn't look away either. She just lay there beneath me, breathing heavily, her gaze boring intensely into mine. At that moment I'd forgotten everything. I'd forgotten why I used to dislike her so, and why she was here in the first place. All that mattered then was that she was here, and that I could feel her heartbeat thrumming a rhythm against her ribcage, in perfect sync with my own. She was breathing through a partially opened mouth, her lips slightly parted in a thoroughly tempting manner. I realized how our faces were so dangerously close to each other…and just how much I wanted to kiss her then.

Barely knowing what I was doing, I bent lower, meaning to do just that.

* * *

_**Summer**_

What's going on here? All I wanted was to know if Haley and Nathan are going to get back together, not to have Freddy Jones sprawled on top of me, with his mouth a mere breath's distance from my own.

We lay there on the couch, just staring at each other, and I don't think either of us had an idea why. I wanted to ask him why he wouldn't get off me, but I couldn't seem to find my voice. My mind keeps telling me to push him away but I couldn't move. Something about the way he looked at me is rendering me immobile. I couldn't tell what it was, but I was deeply attracted to it.

Surely he wasn't about to kiss me? He wouldn't do that. Why would he want to? He didn't like me and I didn't like him…at least…not _that _way.

And I don't want him to kiss me either. At least, I think I don't.

But then…why can't I find the strength to push him away? Why can't I bring myself to remember that I loathed this boy? I didn't even mind that the remote control was digging painfully into my back.

My heart raced as he leaned closer. I shivered slightly, my breath coming in short, erratic gasps. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to forget the fact that Freddy Jones was about to kiss me, and I'm not bothered in the least.

His lips had barely brushed mine in the briefest of touches when my mobile phone rang shrilly.

That had jolted us both back into reality. We both broke away from each other, eyes carefully averted. I sat up, my breathing returning to normal. Freddy had retreated to the other side of the couch, running a hand through his hair. He leaned forward on his knees, his head in his hands.

Feeling oddly disappointed, I pulled out the phone from my jeans pocket and answered the call.

"Zack, hey," I said, as quietly as I could. I think Freddy still heard though, because I saw him glance over at me from the corner of my eye. "Yeah, he said you could. Uhhuh. Nine AM tomorrow? OK, I'll tell him. Yeah. You too. See you soon. Bye."

And as we spoke, I could still feel Freddy watching me. I guess that's what made me say "You too" instead of "Love you too" when Zack told me he loved me. I hoped I sounded normal on the phone, because my insides were twisting up very guiltily.

I was dreading this moment when I hung up on Zack, because then I would have to talk to Freddy. But it was here, and so was I, and there was nothing I could do but to face it.

"That was Zack," I spoke first, surprised that my voice came out steady.

"Yeah I heard," he said, removing his gaze from me and focusing on the TV instead. Thank God.

"He said he'll most probably be here around nine in the morning."

"OK."

"OK."

"So," we said at the same time. Shit, talk about awkward. I got up on my feet before I lost my nerve.

"I should probably get going, it's getting late," I said, pocketing my phone and planting the remote back on the coffee table.

"Yeah, all right," he said, looking up at me, though not quite meeting my gaze. He looked a bit shaken. Well…he wasn't the only one. "Should I show you out?"

"No!" I said, a little too quickly. "I mean, I know the way. Thanks though. I'll just…see you tomorrow."

'_Bad, bad Summer. How could you fool around with that repugnant boy! And your boyfriend's coming to see you tomorrow too! '_

And as I shut the door behind me, I can't help wishing that I could shut out my thoughts too.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

I leaned forward on the windowsill, looking outside to watch Summer get into her car and drive off into the night.

I can't remember feeling this confused before. The last thing that made my brain hurt like this from thinking was that comprehensive exam we took for Chemistry class in high school, not some girl. Girls were supposed to be my field of expertise.

What the hell was I thinking? When the hell did I go from hating her to telling her stuff about my past to wanting to kiss her? Did I really plan on kissing her back there? Why? I don't like her, do I? And even if I did, I can't do that. I just can't.

Fuck. I shouldn't even be thinking about this. I shouldn't be messing around with what is, and what I think should be.

What I really need right now is a long, cold shower. Or a killer session with my drums. Or…

Hmm. Where did I put those Playboy magazines?

_to be continued..._

* * *

**A/N:** Err…okay, dirty, dirty ending there. Haha. More bonding moments and an almost-kiss in this chapter. Sort of crossing that very thin line between friends and…more than friends. The chapter didn't turn out quite the way I planned it, and I feel it's a bit rushed, but I do hope it didn't suck too much. 

So sorry for the delay! I went through a dreadful writing rut, and I have yet to recover. And I'd like to warn everyone that from now on, the updates would take a little longer. School's starting next week, and I have classes and hospital duty everyday except Sunday, which will probably affect my writing time. Not to worry though, I know where the story is going and how I want it to end, so I have no plans of leaving it unfinished.

Credits!

"Oh my God, she must be stupid" – Joey Gaydos Jr.

"You've been robbed" – Joana, Stepford Wives

And that instance where they found the remote in the fridge, it _did_ happen to a friend of mine.

**Next chapter: Chapter 9 As They Should Be**

A little insight on Zack, and his friendship with Freddy. Jamming sessions. Dates. Denial. Zack/Summer goodness.

Looking forward to lovely, lovely reviews! m/


	9. As They Should

**What You Least Expect**  
**- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
D.M. Ralte - **Frummer...hahaha, nice one! I agree with you on that note. I find FS so much more interesting than FK, but that really depends on the writer. Some authors can make FK interesting as well. Thanks for reviewing!  
**A Bloody Vampire** – finally got to update! So sorry if I made you wait too long! Enjoy!  
**Kissu-luv** – Well…I do understand where the people are getting the FK vibe. I read somewhere that the movie people were really planning on making Freddy ask Katie out, but she'd dump him for Lawrence because he's so "cool". I just don't see the chemistry between their characters, is all. The FS chemistry…is just too darn explosive to ignore.  
**Kara** – aww, still no kiss here yet, sorry! But we'll get there, I promise!  
**Nanners-77** – haha, you noticed it too, that I rushed that cleaning part. I think it's because I hate doing chores too. ;p thanks for reviewing as always, and please please _please _update something. I've also read _The Way Memories Blaze, _and I'm loving it. I swear, if you update I WILL review!  
**Me** – so you've been bitten by the SoR bug too, eh? Welcome to the club, my friend!  
**Jojo** – thank you, thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much!  
**Gothic Ghost** – here's more FSness for you, enjoy!  
**Felons Dictation** – glad you liked the ending. Update _In Time _soon, okay? I can't wait for the next chapter.;p  
**LedZepplin's#1fan** – thanks so much, hope you like this chapter!  
**willy wonka obsession** – yea, so far CMM is the best actor I could think of for older Freddy. My older Summer is Michelle Trachtenberg, older Zack is Rooney (that guy in the 1st Princess Diaries Movie) and older Katie is Alexi Biedel. But I haven't found an appropriate Billy yet, which is really sad. Oh well…Just sharing! ;p And oh, update _Ladies and Gentleman, _please!

And to all who reviewed _Love Letter, _thanks so much too! You guys rock my socks!

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note: _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in Italics are flashbacks unless labeled otherwise.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 9: As They Should Be**

_**Summer**_

Fifteen minutes to nine the following morning, I was already up and about, whizzing around the kitchen like a confused bumblebee. I was fresh out of a shower, and my hair still needed some serious blow-drying so I was doing my best to multitask (making breakfast, eating breakfast _and_ cleaning up after myself) and finish getting ready to go out.

In stark contradiction to my frazzled state, Billy sat languorously in front of the TV, legs crossed, while he watched _Project Runway, _his favorite show as of the moment.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked, straightening up slightly and eyed me curiously. I turned to him abruptly, vaguely noticing how horribly his bright orange shirt clashed with the deep plum of the couch.

"I'm heading over to Freddy's," I replied.

Billy's eyebrow rose, giving me a look that said _'again?' _

I rolled my eyes at him. "To see _Zack_," I clarified. "I did mention that he's coming today, didn't I?"

Billy laughed. "I know, I'm just messing with you," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "But wait, I thought _he's_ picking you up later."

"Oh, he is. I just wanted to see he him before our date this afternoon, that's all," I shrugged, finishing up the last of my coffee and left the ceramic mug on the sink. "It's been so long, since I last saw him you know."

"I know, I know. Young love," he exaggerated a dreamy sigh. The ending credits of _Project Runway _rolled onscreen. Billy raised the remote control to switch the TV off before gracefully getting up off the couch. "Oh yeah, will you be using the car today?"

"Yeah. Zack doesn't have his car with him, so we need it to get around," I explained.

"Oh, okay. I might have to change a few things in my plans," Billy muttered, half to himself. "Oh well, no biggie. Don't forget your keys, OK? I'll probably out late tonight."

My lips curved upward into an inquisitive smile. "Hot date?" I asked, somewhat teasingly. His cheeks flushed pink.

"I suppose so," he said, giddily biting his lip. His eyes sparkled, even more so than the glittering rhinestones that spelled out '_Gay Is The New Black' _across the chest of his shirt.

"Oh yeah? With who?"

His blush deepened, and his hand subconsciously toyed with his flared shirtsleeve. Wow. This must be one heck of a date, for him to blush like that. Billy had always been very confident, and I rarely see him act like this.

"No one you know," he said, a little too hastily. I pursed my lips, feeling unconvinced. What's with the secrecy? But it was already nine o' clock, so I decided to let the issue go. For now, anyway.

"All right, just tell me how it goes later, okay?" I said, and he nodded in agreement before I retreated back into my room.

I sat in front of my bureau, running a brush through my dark hair, working the knots and tangles out. My reflection stared back at me, looking thoughtful and just a bit fidgety. Looks like Billy wasn't the only one skirting around an issue.

For some reason, I wanted to see Zack as soon as I can. Maybe it was excitement. Maybe it was anxiety. Or maybe it was just plain hormones. I really couldn't tell.

Or maybe…I just wanted to _assure_ myself of something.

I frowned, gripping the rubber handle of the brush harder.

"He's your boyfriend, and you haven't seen him in ages," I told myself sternly, briefly fixing my gaze on the gleaming rosewood table of my bureau before looking back up at the mirror. "Of course you're dying to see him. It has nothing to do with what happened last night."

…

Wait a minute. What was I talking about? _Nothing _happened. I'm just being silly. _He _didn't really plan on kissing me that time on the couch. _He _didn'treally look at me like I was the only girl on the planet.

I scoffed silently. Hah. Freddy Jones did not look at _any_ female like she was the only girl on the planet, and that goes _twice_ for me. He didn't operate like that. For him, women only served as his playthings, sources of amusement, and I am proud to say that will never be one of those women. I had a boyfriend who treated me with the respect I deserved. Last night was just…a clumsy moment, and a temporary lapse of judgment, right?

Right.

I released a sigh and got back up on my feet, replacing the brush back on the vanity. Pocketing my phone and my keys, I set out to see my boyfriend.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

An insistent pounding noise reverberated inside my apartment unit, annoying me to no end.

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming, keep your _bloody_ shirt on!" I yelled, slamming the bathroom door behind me and made my way to the front of my apartment. I've just gotten up to take a shower when someone rang my doorbell. I had to throw my clothes back on so I wasn't able to open the door right away. That was when whoever rang the doorbell resorted to knocking.

"What the fuck do you want?" I growled as I dragged the front door open. It was nine AM on a Saturday, so yeah, I was a bit cranky. I was ready to tell the bastard to go to hell when I saw who it was.

"Good morning to you too, Jones," said a grinning Zack Mooneyham. I broke into a welcoming smile.

"Dude!" I exclaimed with a laugh, feeling partly sheepish, and partly excited to see my old comrade. Opening the door further, I stepped back to let him in.

"You were never really much of a morning person, were you?" he chuckled, shuffling past me, lugging his stuff with him.

"Sorry 'bout that, I totally forgot you were coming today," I said. I shut the door behind me and followed Zack to the living room. "How's the trip? Any trouble finding my place?"

"Nah. I got off at the train station and took a cab from there," he explained matter-of-factly. His duffel bag, amp and guitar case found a spot on the floor next to the couch. He then gave me an odd look, as though sizing me up. "Dude, you do know that your shirt's on backwards, right?"

"What? Oh," I looked down, and saw that my shirt is indeed backwards. I pulled it off and threw it over my shoulder, not really caring where it landed. "I was about to take a shower when you got here. Got dressed in a hurry to let you in."

Zack mouthed a silent "Oh" and looked around my apartment. "Nice place. I can't believe it's…" he paused briefly, as though searching for the right word. "…clean. Is it new?"

I chuckled. Zack wasn't new to my slob-like tendencies, since he was one of the frequent visitors of my room back in Manhattan. "Nah, just newly cleaned," I told him.

His eyebrows disappeared under his longish bangs. "What, you clean stuff now?" he smirked at me, and I flipped him off in response.

"You know, I usually _don't_, but _some_body just decides that he wants to have a sleepover, so I had to ask his girlfriend to help me clean up the place." I glared pointedly at him to emphasize my point before I picked up one of his bags and motioned for him to follow me to my room.

"Oh, that explains it," he said, his expression clearing immediately. "Hey wait," he paused again suddenly and glanced questioningly at me. "Did you just say _Summer _helped you out with this?"

"Yep."

"As in Summer…my _girlfriend_ Summer?"

'_You don't have to rub it in,' _a voice, resentful and biting, said in my mind. Whoa. Where did _that_ come from? I didn't say that out loud, did I?

Well. Zack didn't seem to hear anything, since he continued to trudge along behind me. Whew.

"I thought you had to have good hearing to get to music school," I told him instead, throwing his bag on the bed parallel to my own. "Yeah, Mooneyham, Summer helped me out. You make it sound like it's the weirdest thing in the world."

"Dude, it kind of _is,_" he said, unzipping his guitar case and pulling out the black and red Gibson. He located an outlet on the wall and plugged in his amp. Probably out of habit, he fell back on a bed and began to tune his guitar. "I thought you two hated each other. How'd you survive it?"

Shit, I forgot to ask Summer if she got around to telling Zack about our little deal. I picked up a pair of drumsticks from the barely used study desk and sat on the stool behind my drums, buying myself some time.

"I dunno. I guess we just…get along better now," I said, choosing my words very carefully.

"I'll say," he said simply. Bringing his guitar along with him, Zack jumped up off the bed, brightening up considerably. "Hey listen to this. I've been teaching Katie how to use this thing, and she came up with this by herself."

Not waiting for a response, he played a series of riffs on the Gibson, his fingers effortlessly dancing across the guitar's stem. Notes of the unknown melody filled my room, making me grin automatically. Music always had that effect on me. It's been a long time since I heard the dude play, and I have to admit, I've missed hearing it.

"Pretty cool huh?" Zack grinned upon finishing.

"Seriously? She came up with that?" I asked, twirling my drumstick carelessly. I was impressed. I'd known that Katie kicked ass on bass, but she never really tried her hand on lead or rhythm guitar. Coming up with a rocking guitar solo was quite a feat for her, I think. "Fast learner," I whistled.

"Yeah well, she isn't really all that hard to teach," Zack shrugged, settling back down on the bed and plucked out the intro to _Highway to Hell_. "She's got most of the basics down anyway."

Just then, the muffled sound of Andrew Lloyd Webber's _Memory _interrupted our conversation. Almost on reflex, I rolled my eyes and Zack grinned sheepishly before he pulled out his phone from his back pocket. If anybody's confused, Zack used _Memory _as his ringtone as a kind of sentimental joke about Summer.

I always thought that stunt was pretty stupid, but today, for some reason, I found myself holding back a smile.

"Huh, speak of the devil," Zack muttered under his breath and flipped the phone open, a hint of a smile on his lips. I wondered for a moment if he was talking about Summer. That is, until he spoke again. "Hey Kat. 'Sup? Yeah, just got here, like a few minutes ago."

Frowning, I tapped a tentative rhythm on the nearest snare as I tried to place the name. Then it came to me.

"Is that Katie?" I asked. Zack gave an impatient nod before he turned back around.

"--Nah, I'm still at Freddy's. I'm picking her up later,--" he was saying into the phone. "Yeah. Wanna talk to him? 'Ayt." Zack handed his phone over to me saying "Katie wants to talk to you."

I held the drumsticks in one hand so I could hold onto the phone with the other.

"Yo Posh, how's it going?" I said, and exchanged a bit of small talk with the bassist. Actually, Katherine Brown was one of the first few people I actually got along with. I used to call her 'She-Man', because she can be really boyish at times. Her four older brothers probably had something to do with that.

Usually spending more time with the boys rather than the girls in the band, Katie earned the reputation of being either a huge flirt or a lesbian. She squashed the flirt rumors by not dating anyone in the band. The lesbian rumors ended when several guys from our school started asking her out, and she started dating them.

I think she's cool, though. I like her. No, eww, not like _that. _That's like incest. She's a lot like a sister to me. A very sarcastic, and sometimes weird sister, that I've really missed talking to too.

I handed the phone back to Zack after a short while.

"Yeah, I'll call you later, ayt? Cool. Bye, Posh," Zack said, finally finishing up the conversation and hung up the phone.

"You're still hanging with her, huh?" I asked casually once he put the phone away.

"Yeah, hardly hang out with anyone else actually," he shrugged, shaking the hair out of his eyes. "People in Duvall are a lot like Lawrence. More into classical shit. Which is okay, really, but I think I get enough of that in class."

"Doesn't Summer have a problem with that?" I wondered out loud, the question occurring to me out of nowhere.

"What, with classicals?"

"No, doofus. With you and Posh hanging."

Zack snorted. "Why should she? It's not like there's anything new with that." Yeah well, that's true, at least. The two guitarists had been next-door neighbors their whole lives, and they grew tighter because of the band.

Then, with a smirk, I remembered something. "But didn't she use to have a whack crush on you?"

Zack froze mid-riff before he let out a groan. "We were _twelve, _Jones."

"Aha, so you still remember it too," I said, punctuating my statement with a series of drumbeats.

"It was just a rumor. When are you going to let that up?" he frowned at me. I executed one of my shortest drum solos, laughing heartily.

"Chill man, I just remembered it, that's all," I said in between sniggers.

Remember, what I said earlier about people giving Katie a hard time? Well, her being in Horace Green on scholarship didn't exactly help her on that situation. Even though she wanted so very much to tell those people to shove off, she couldn't. She was afraid that she might get into trouble and lose her scholarship in the process. Her family wasn't exactly rich.

Zack had been the first person to stand up for her then, Summer and me only coming in second and third.

_Thirteen-year-old Zack stood by his locker, getting the books he would need for the day. Freddy leaned back on the locker next to the guitarist's, yawning heavily as he waited for the latter to finish. A few girls walked past them, greeting Freddy a good morning as they did so. The blond nodded back to all of them, sending them into annoying fits of giggles._

_A few moments later, Summer approached them, tugging at her pleated skirt to straighten it out. Not that the skirt needed it, since it was ironed to perfection. _

"_Good morning Zack, Freddy," she greeted them both pleasantly, adjusting her mailbag on her shoulder. Freddy mumbled back a greeting. Zack, on the other hand, immediately shut his locker door closed to give Summer his utmost attention. _

"_Morning Summer," said Zack. "What's up?"_

"_I just wanted to inform you guys that practice today would start at six, instead of the usual five," she told them, her tone crisp and authoritative. It always bewildered, if not amazed, Freddy how a twelve-year-old managed to sound like that. The three of them went on to talk about practice schedules for the rest of the week, as well as their upcoming gigs. Freddy merely rolled his eyes when the manager made a pointed comment about tardiness and punctuality, not really in the mood for banter. _

_During the course of the conversation, Zack looked over Summer's shoulder, and quite suddenly, a scowl replaced his smitten smile. Summer, in turn, glanced behind her to see what upset him. Freddy did the same as well, straightening up from the locker. _

_What they saw was Katie, their tall, brown-haired bassist, walking slowly down the hallway, her eyes on the floor and her arms hugging her books to herself. But what made Zack frown like that were the three other girls who surrounded Katie as they walked along with her. To an outsider, this wasn't a cause for alarm. Only the observant ones would notice the malicious sneers on the faces of the three unnamed girls, the tightening of Katie's jaw and the slight quiver on her lower lip. _

"_Excuse me a sec," Zack muttered, pushing past Summer to make his way to the bassist. Freddy and Summer followed suit. The three of them had the same thought: Not again. _

_None of them knew where and when the taunting started, but Katie had been suffering it for quite some time now. It only got worse as each day passed. _

"_Katie!" called Zack, rushing to her aid. The brunette lifted her eyes of the floor. Upon seeing Zack, with Summer and Freddy at his heels, relief passed over her features. She was saved._

After that, a rumor somehow spread within the band about Katie having a thing for Zack. Frankie and I mocked him every chance we got, making cracks about him and Katie making beautiful guitar music together. (Okay, unoriginal, I know, but give me a break. We were twelve.) At least, until Katie put a stop to the issue when she started going out with whatshisname from the school's track team.

"Hey man, you dead or what?" Zack's voice sliced through the air, effectively bringing me out of the reverie. He was giving me an odd look again as he continued playing his guitar, as though worried for my sanity. I let my arms drop to my sides, and checked the wall clock.

"What time are you meeting Summer again?"

"'Round eleven. I figured we could grab lunch together," he said, momentarily stopping from playing. "Why d'you ask?"

I twirled my drumsticks again. "Wanna jam?"

* * *

_**Summer**_

I've already knocked several times on Freddy's door, but no one was answering. I was sure he was in there, with Zack because I can hear the two of them playing. I guess they couldn't hear me through the music.

Giving the doorknob an experimental twist, I found it unlocked. Trust Freddy to forget to lock up his own apartment. I pushed the door open and let myself in.

I was pretty relieved, and somewhat pleased to see that the apartment was as clean as I left it. No wait, it _wasn't _exactly as I left it. My eyebrow twitched a bit when I saw a used shirt draped haphazardly on the couch. Hadn't I taught him _anything? _How difficult was it to put the used clothes in the hamper? With a sigh of great distaste, I bent to pick the discarded shirt up.

Even as I held the piece of clothing at an arm's length, I smelled the familiar scent that was Freddy. And almost immediately, an image flashed into my mind. An image of him looking down at me with that enigmatic expression in his blue eyes.

Sucking in a shuddering breath, I threw the shirt back to where I found it with ridiculous force. Suddenly, I really didn't care about the stupid shirt. I turned my back on the couch and continued the trek towards the sound of playing instruments.

The music grew louder as I drew nearer to Freddy's room. I could faintly hear Zack's voice singing over the instruments, and I recognized the song at once. It was Good Charlotte's S.O.S.

Yeah, Good Charlotte isn't really the type that we School of Rock did covers of, but Zack said he really liked this song. I think they were already on the second verse of the song when I arrived.

_I'm stuck in my own head and I'm oceans away  
__Would anybody notice if I chose to stay?  
__I'll send an S.O.S. tonight  
__And wonder if I will survive  
__How in the hell did I get so far away this time?  
__  
So now I'm sitting here  
__The time of my departure's near  
__I say a prayer please, someone save me  
_  
I stood in the doorway of Freddy's room, half hidden from view, as I watched the two of them do what they do best; play music. They probably didn't notice me standing there, because they were so absorbed in their playing. I couldn't help smiling when I saw them. It was like I never left Horace Green, that today was just another band practice and that these two best friends were jamming while waiting for the others to arrive.

_Is anybody listening?  
__Can they hear me when I call?  
__I'm shooting signals in the air,  
__'Cause I need somebody's help  
__I can't make it on my own,  
__So I'm giving up myself  
__Is anybody listening, listening?_

The song's a bit angsty, yes. Zack's had a lot of angst as a kid. He's an only child, and his mother died when he was still very young. His dad was kind of conservative and traditional, and rock music didn't sit with him very well. He didn't want Zack to be 'wasting his potential on dirty music', and kept telling him to stay away from the band.

Zack kept going to band practices and stuff, but because he never knew when his dad would make him quit the band, he had been a bit aloof with us at first, never getting too close to anyone. He was usually alone, and no one knew how he felt or what he was thinking. Sure he hung with us a lot, and ate lunch with us and all, but he never really _talked _to anybody. Even Freddy, who he had known since childhood, had to literally maul his way into Zack's head.

"_What do you mean, you can't make it to the gig on Saturday?" fourteen-year-old Freddy demanded, getting up from behind his drums and walked dangerously towards Zack. Billy accidentally pricked his finger with a pushpin, Eleni and Michelle's giggling silenced and the three backup singers stopped rehearsing their dance moves abruptly. Everybody in Dewey's old apartment turned to look at their drummer, surprised by his sudden outburst. Zack told his bad news to Summer and Dewey first, before practice could begin and Freddy had overheard._

"_I mean I can't make it to the gig on Saturday," Zack repeated, his expression remaining stoic even as Freddy advanced on him. _

"_We've all agreed on this last week, didn't we? Come on man, this could be our big break. _Rolling Stone _would be there!"_

_Summer bravely tried to intervene. "Freddy? Calm down."_

"_Stay out of this, Hathaway," Freddy barked, and for once, Summer obeyed him. _

"_Leave her alone, Jones, this isn't her fault," Zack said, his voice remaining even, but his eyes were telling a different story._

"_Don't change the subject, Mooneyham. We've already missed out on the last two gigs because of you, give me one good reason why we're going to fuck this up too. Well? What!"_

"_My dad wouldn't let me, all right!" _

"_Dude! That's not even a reason!"_

"_I'm not even supposed to _be_ here! I'm already pushing my luck by coming here when I'm not allowed!"_

"_And you're _still_ taking his bullshit? God, Mooneyham, you've been taking his crap since we were kids, it's about time stuck it to him! Haven't you learned _anything _from Dewey!"_

"_Look, Jones, you have no idea what you're talking about, so shut the fuck up all right! Why the hell are you acting this way, huh? So what if we don't make it on Saturday? To hell with it, it's just a gig!" _

_Without warning, Freddy's fist came flying and connected with Zack's jaw. The guitarist staggered backwards into Dewey's unsuspecting arms. Frankie and Leonard instinctively went to restrain Freddy._

"_Freddy, for the love of God, control yourself!" their middle-aged lead singer yelled, helping Zack get up on his feet. The dark-haired boy wiped away the thin trickle of crimson blood that now ran down his chin, glaring at Freddy but not making a move to fight back. _

"_This band is the best thing that's ever happened to _all _of us, even you!" Freddy bellowed, trying to free himself from Frankie's clutches. "And if you think none of us here care about what happens to the band, and what happens to you, then maybe you're more like you're fucking father than we give you credit for!" He turned his head suddenly to the side and glared at Frankie. "Let go, bastard."_

"_Only if you promise you won't hit him again, asswipe."_

"_Fuck you," Freddy snapped, but stopped struggling all the same. Frankie grinned and let go of Freddy's arm and motioned for Leonard to do the same. With that, Freddy walked out, slamming the door behind him and leaving a stunned silence in his wake._

When Freddy had gone, I tended to Zack, while Dewey went after Freddy to talk some sense into him. (Zack and I weren't a couple yet at the time. We haven't even started dating 'as friends only'.) The rest of the band began to talk in hushed voices. Apparently, none of us expected that from Freddy, however brash or crude he might be. None of us realized just how important the band was to him, and to ourselves. Dewey came back a few minutes later, with a surly looking Freddy in tow. He was still looking very grumpy, but his playing wasn't affected in the least. I didn't leave Dewey alone until he agreed to have a talk with Mr. Mooneyham later that week. Our efforts weren't in vain. Though he still very much disapproved of us, we didn't hear much from Mr. Mooneyham again.

We thought that that dispute between Freddy and Zack would cause some serious strain on the band, but it didn't. For some bizarre reason, they came out of it with their friendship better than ever. I think it's because Freddy made Zack understand that we all cared about him, and that we wanted him not only as a guitarist, but also as a friend.

When Zack and I _did _start dating, I asked him why he still liked S.O.S. so much.

"_Because you guys answered that S.O.S., so it's not my story anymore,"_ he had explained to me, referring to the band.

When I broke out of my reverie, Zack was already singing the song's bridge and had started on the guitar solo. He was standing near the center of the room, with his back to me, but I could still see his profile. No matter how many times I see and hear him play, I always end up feeling awestruck by his musical talent. Playing the guitar always looked so easy and so beautiful when he did it.

I had really meant to focus on him, but somehow my eyes strayed towards the movement behind him. Of course, there wasn't anyone else in the room besides Freddy, who was seated behind his drumkit, his brow furrowed and lips pressed thin in concentration as he kept the beat of the song. My eyes traveled downwards to his bare torso, which was covered with a thin sheen of sweat. Well…that explained the shirt on the couch, I guess.

Lifting my gaze, I found myself staring right into his eyes. I hadn't realized that he knew I was there. He was giving me the same look he had last night, I noted, blushing slightly. The same intense, probing stare that didn't look quite right on him. I forced myself to look away when the attention became too much for me to bear.

I suppressed a groan, wanting very much to bash my head into the wall until I cracked my skull open and bled to death. What the hell is with that…that _look_ huh? No, wait. What the hell is up with _me? _There. Is. No. Look!

'_This has _got_ to stop! Your boyfriend is in there!' _I scolded myself. Yeah well, I've got to stop talking to myself too, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Oh this is not good. Not good at all.

When they finished the song, I steeled myself and put on a smile.

"You were right, your singing _had _improved," I said loudly and began to applaud. At the sound of my voice, Zack's head turned in my direction, his face breaking into a wide grin.

"Hey," he breathed, instantly putting down his guitar. Before I knew it, he already had me in an embrace. My arms found their way around his neck just before he circled my waist to lift me up slightly and spun me around. Muffled by his chest, laughter came unbidden from my throat, a wave of several emotions washing through me all at the same time. Was I relieved? Maybe. Giddy? I think so. Happy? definitely. Being in Zack's arms felt safe. Familiar.

He pulled back a little to look at me, but he didn't remove his arms from around me. "God I've missed you..." His gentle brown eyes seemed to drink in every detail of my face until I started to feel shy all of a sudden.

"I've missed you too, Zacky-boy," I smiled up at him, brushing back the long bangs away from his forehead like I used to do. I'd almost forgotten just how much he's grown. My forehead is just barely in level with his chin now. Sure, he still wasn't as tall as Freddy, but—

'_Don't think of Freddy,' _that inner voice commanded at once. I was only too glad to obey.

"You have no idea just how good it feels to see you again," Zack said in a very soft voice, and it was like I was falling in love with him all over again.

That thing that happened last night with Freddy didn't mean anything, because this is where I belonged. Here, with Zack. We have a good thing going here, and I'm not going to mess that up.

The inexplicable happiness I felt when our Zack's lips finally melded together with mine in that much-awaited kiss proves that.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

He only noticed her when she decided to speak up. I'd known she was there, watching us play with a dreamy, almost wistful smile on her face. I was looking at her the whole time, and was just a bit surprised when she finally looked away from Zack and met my gaze.

But she looked away from me too, answering a question I never even asked.

While the two of them shared an embrace, I turned away, gritting my teeth and breathing deeply. I busied myself with putting away my drumsticks. I told myself that I was only giving them privacy, that I didn't really want to witness their cheesy PDA when in truth, I was trying to ignore the funny feeling in my chest. With a pang of something that felt oddly like jealousy, I remembered how it felt to have Summer in my arms like that. You know, that time in Billy's room? Yeah…

_Pfft._

This is really stupid. I really shouldn't even be _thinking_ about this. I've said it many times before, but it doesn't seem to be penetrating my skull. The gel I'm using must be stronger than I thought.

Summer is Zack's girlfriend. Zack is my bestfriend. I hated Summer before, and I should still hate her now. Last night was just a freaky phenomenon; it meant nothing. I was just tired, and I was probably imagining things. Yeah, that's it. I'm just imagining that weird (yet somewhat good) feeling I had when I had Summer trapped beneath me. It's lust, nothing new to me. I probably just needed to get laid.

I've known Zack since we were little and we became friends because of something really weird but I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't fuck up a friendship because of my freakin' overactive hormones. (Shit, I'm eighteen years old and I'm still hormonal. How lame is that?)

Not that I could say the same for the two of them. They just started to make out.

"Hey hey hey hey hey!" I said loudly, unable to stomach it anymore. "Might I point out that this is _my _room?"

They broke apart, laughing. Well, Zack was laughing. Summer, on the other hand, stiffened in his arms, and flushed red.

"What, you wanna join us now?" Zack joked.

'_Oh, don't tempt me Mooneyham,' _I flipped him off again, forcing on a sarcastic grin. I thought I saw Summer fidget, and this was probably pretty awkward for her. Well. That made two of us. "A threesome with a dude, and a tight-ass is really kind of gross, you know? I think I'll pass," I said, the patented Jones Smirk gracing my features once more.

Summer's mouth dropped open. "I am _not _a tight-ass, take that back, you retard!"

"Oh here we go again," Zack sighed and turned to me, looking helpless. "I thought you said you were getting along better now."

"Well, what do you know. I lied," I shrugged, grinning at the both of them. I grabbed some clothes and a towel from my closet. "I'm going to go take that shower, you two try not to fuck each other's brains out while I'm gone, 'ayt?"

I left the room laughing, tweaking Summer's ear as I passed her, earning me a hearty, well-deserved slap on the back from her. Obviously, she's going to have a harder time forgetting what happened last night. (And nothing has even happened yet!) Women are like that sometimes, thinking too much about things that really don't need to be thought of. So I'm going to have to be the one to do something.

And I've decided to act normal; the way things were before they started becoming confusing.

I guess that setup of ours was just getting to my head too much.

'_What I need to do is find myself a hot bimbo in a club and get laid. Celibacy is just not working for me. Yeah, that's it,' _I told myself as the cold water hit my body.

Now all I needed to do was convince myself to believe it.

* * *

_**Summer**_

"And this is my dorm room," Zack was saying as I scrolled down the Gallery of photos in his mobile phone. We were seated side by side in one of the tables at a funky Italian bistro in Park Square, the small commercial area near Culvert Academy, and we had just finished having lunch. He was showing me some of his pictures from Duvall while we waited for the bill. I was currently looking at a snapshot of a relatively small room, with a single bed, a few pieces of mismatched furniture and a makeshift kitchen. It wasn't anything special; it could've belonged to any college guy. Only the black and red Gibson in a corner and the Jimmy Hendrix posters on the walls told me that the room was indeed Zack's.

I laughed and leaned back against him. I was feeling so much better than I had since this morning. Earlier today, in Freddy's apartment, Freddy didn't seem to feel as…_bothered _as I was. He was acting like he always had: obnoxious and annoying. I decided then and there that I _had _only been imagining things, and that last night indeed was just a freak accident of some sort.

After Freddy came out of his shower, Zack accompanied me back to my apartment and waited for me to finish freshening up. He planned on spending the entire day with me, which made me really glad.

He had also asked Freddy if he wanted to join us for the day, but the latter boy declined, saying he had other plans. What were those other plans, I wonder? Freddy usually spent Saturdays with Billy and me, or with Frankie, Eleni and Michelle if they were in town. Oh well.

I brushed the thought away, and went back to scrolling through the photos. I stopped scrolling when I saw a photo of Zack with Katie, the two of them making wild faces at the camera, their hands held up in the famous Rock On horns. I grinned, feeling a sudden sense of nostalgia.

"How's Katie doing by the way? I haven't heard from her for a long time," I said, looking up at Zack.

"Same as always," Zack shrugged. "Oh yeah, she's going out with this dude from the choir. Or was that last week?" Zack frowned, wrinkling his nose. "Oh well. It's kind of hard to keep track. She's been dating so many different guys lately, it's unreal." He shook his head for emphasis.

"Really? That's weird," I said, taking the glass of iced tea in front of me and sipped in the last vestiges of the beverage. "I remember her telling me some time ago that she really wanted a steady relationship."

"She still does," said Zack, looking thoughtful. "But for some reason, she has a bit of bad luck with relationships. They never seem to work out for her."

"They _don't_? But why?" I asked, completely at a loss. I looked at the photo on the phone again, still having a hard time believing that someone like Katherine Brown can't hold on to a relationship. It wasn't because of lack of physical attraction, that's for sure. Katie was gorgeous, though not glamorously so like Michelle. She was just naturally pretty, with her shoulder length wavy hair and really light brown eyes. She was also very tall as well, almost as tall as both Michelle and Tomika.

I'm sure it wasn't because of lack of talent either, because if there were one word to describe her, it would be talented. Not only that, she was also smart, she got along great with the male population, and she's extremely friendly. In fact, she's one of my closest friends.

"No idea," Zack admitted. "I kinda feel sorry for Posh sometimes, though. She says that even though she's having fun with all those guys, none of them seemed right for her."

I smiled at Zack's noticeable concern for our ex-bassist. Second to Freddy, Zack was closest to Katie. They grew up together, and even though Zack never used to say much to anybody, I think Katie understood him almost as well as I did. When Zack and I started going out, I was afraid of what Katie would say. I mean, they were almost best friends and I was afraid that Katie would think that I would be coming between their friendship and all that. It turned out that I was worrying about nothing, really, because Katie was genuinely happy for Zack and I. She said that she had known about how Zack felt for me and she found it frustrating that Zack was taking so long in asking me out. From the stories Zack had told me, Katie had been a big help in telling him what he should do and say. In a way, she brought the two of us together.

People often asked whether I ever felt jealous of Katie, because of his apparent closeness with Zack. I always tell them the same thing: I was never jealous of Katie and I have no reason to be. She was Zack's friend, as well as mine.

"I hope she finds the right guy soon, though," I said, just as the waitress came back with the bill.

"Yeah well, I think she and Seth are really hitting it off. You know, that choir guy?" Zack explained quickly upon seeing my puzzled reaction. "She's with him right now, at the competition I was telling you about. I was actually planning on asking her to come down here with me so she could see you guys too, but Seth was part of the competition and she went with the choir to California for support or something."

Zack then pulled out his wallet and paid for lunch. I told him we should split the bill, but he insisted on paying for everything.

"So, what do you want to do now?" I asked Zack, as he held the bistro's door open for me so we could leave.

He took my hand as we stepped out into the street. "Well, what are my choices?"

"We could…" I pursed my lips, glancing around the Park Square, scouting for possible choices. I'd already toured him around town before lunch, showing him all the hotspots and whatnot. "We could catch a movie in the theater. Or we could go to a bar, and see if there's a gig. Usually there are some pretty good bands playing in the clubs on Saturdays. Or I could show you around my campus. You decide."

Zack was silent for a moment, considering my suggestions. "I think I'll go for that tour," he said finally.

"What? That's like the most boring choice there is! Are you sure?" I laughed.

"Yeah," Zack replied, looking down at me with a smile. "We won't be able to talk properly in a theater, and I'm sure we won't be able to hear each other in a bar, so yeah. The boring tour it is."

"That's all you want to do? Talk?" I said, but starting toward the Academy anyway.

"And probably make out a little later, but for now I just wanna talk to you," he said, half-kidding as we entered the gates. "We haven't done that in a long time y'know. I mean, sure, we talk on the phone a lot, but it's just--different when we're together I s'pose."

He tugged at my hand and suddenly pulled me into an embrace. I looked questioningly up at him; he rarely did anything as bold as this. He started to lean down, and I'd almost closed my eyes in anticipation for a kiss, when my brain caught up with me. With a jolt, I suddenly remembered that we were in campus, and the people here knew that _Freddy _was my boyfriend, not Zack. If anybody saw this, our cover would be blown.

'_So? If the cover gets blown, then the deal's off. You won't have to deal with Freddy anymore'_ a voice said in my head. The thought made sense, really. Freddy would hate me, but so what? I never really cared about what Freddy felt, so why start now?

But no. That's not how I do things. I promised to help Freddy out, and I will not back down on my word.

I pushed Zack away gently. When I looked at him, his eyes reflected disappointment and confusion.

"Zack, not now. You know how I feel about PDA," I said, quickly thinking of an excuse. That was true, at least. I was never one for public displays of affection.

He sighed heavily. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry," he apologized, removing his arms from around me.

"We can do that later, when we go back to my apartment, all right?" I told him, raising an eyebrow at him suggestively. He laughed, his features relaxing. Laughing with him, I walked quickly ahead of him and paused in front of the first building in sight.

"This is the Madison Building. All the main offices of the Academy can be found here," I said when he caught up with me. "That fountain in front of it is called the Fountain of Wisdom, and that's where Billy and I usually meet up."

"Fountain of Wisdom eh, cool," Zack commented, looking from the red brick building to the stone muse in the center of the fountain. I steered him forward, and we began walking again.

I was a little ahead of him and I could feel his eyes on me. I turned around to find that he was indeed looking at me, a curious expression on his face.

"Zack? Why're you looking at me like that?"

"Something 'bout you has changed, but I can't put my finger on it," he said thoughtfully, and my heartbeat sped up a little. Was I acting too strangely? Too…guiltily? I opened my mouth to give an explanation when he spoke again. "Did you get a haircut?"

I released a breath that I didn't realize I was holding. "Oh. Yeah, " I replied. I _did _get a haircut several days ago. Billy noticed I was getting split ends already so I just _had _to have it cut. It's not a drastic change anyway. I just had them chop a few inches off. "How could you even tell? It hardly looks different!"

Zack shrugged. "Last time I saw you your hair was almost at the waist, and it's shorter now."

"I'm sorry Zack, I know you said you liked it long, but I didn't want split ends," I mock-pouted, and he laughed before grabbing hold of my hand again. I was laughing too, but inside I was stunned by his eye for detail. Most guys barely notice things like that.

I sure am lucky to have a boyfriend like him. Aren't I?

"I'm glad you and Spazz are finally starting to get along, by the way," he said. "On your first few weeks here, it sounded like you were ready to murder him."

I froze for a moment, before I began walking again. Sheesh. We really shouldn't talk about Freddy right now, otherwise I might spill the entire deal thing to Zack. Darned blond. He just _had_ to make things difficult for me, even when he isn't here, didn't he?

"Oh. Believe me, sometimes that still seems like a good suggestion," I muttered in all honesty.

"How'd it happen, though?" he asked me, and I bit my lip. "You and him getting along, I mean."

"He…" I began, wracking my brain for facts and half-truths. But then, I decided I couldn't keep lying to Zack like this. I just…can't. Taking a deep breath, I stopped walking and turned to face him. "Okay, Zack, if I tell you something, do you promise not to get upset or anything?"

His eyebrows furrowed together. "You're not breaking up with me are you?" he asked quietly.

"No, of course not!" I rushed on, and I thought I saw him sigh with relief.

"Well then, what is it?"

"I think we'd better sit down, it's kind of a long story," I said, stalling for time. Zack humored me, and let me lead him to a stone bench across the Fine Arts building where we took our seats. After making sure that no one was listening to us, I told him about Olivia and my I-Paq, about Freddy helping me out with finding an apartment and the favor I owed him. I told him about Olivia stalking Freddy and lastly, I told him about the stupid solution Freddy came up with to get Olivia off his back, i.e., The Girlfriend Deal. His jaw clenched when I got to the part where Freddy asked me to pose as his girlfriend temporarily.

"But don't worry, though, because our deal does _not _include anything…physical, if you get my meaning," I added hastily. Zack's jaw relaxed somewhat, but he remained silent. I couldn't read his expression, which is a first for me. "Please say something."

He heaved a sigh. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I really meant to tell you, but I was afraid you'd get all jealous and stuff," I confessed, and then looked up at him expectantly. "Are you mad at me?"

"No," he shook his head, smiling wanly. "I just wish you told me sooner. I understand, really."

"So you're not mad? Or jealous at all?" I asked meekly

"Okay, sure I got a bit jealous there, because let's face it: Spazz can be quite a charmer when he wants to be," he chuckled. I couldn't help agreeing with him silently though. "But I'd get over it. And now that I think about it, that so-called plan he came up with is so like him. A cross between stupidity and brilliance, with just a hint of insanity."

I began to smile, feeling very much relieved. "So, you're really okay with it?"

"As long as he keeps following that No Making Out rule, it's fine by me," Zack laughed, getting up on his feet and held out his hand to help me up too. "Actually. I'd probably ask Katie to pose as my girlfriend if someone like Olivia was stalking me too. The girl sounds like an absolute freak."

And then, as if on cue, Olivia Warren emerged from the building's front doors, together with two other girls who were dressed just like her.

"Oh geez, let's get out of here, quick!" I said as I ducked my head and tried to steer Zack away. I did _not _want a run-in with her right now.

"Hey, what's wrong? Why the hurry?" he asked, craning his neck to look behind us.

"Don't look over there!" I hissed, pulling Zack along. Only when we were a good distance away from the Fine Arts building did I dare look back. Olivia and her companions were already making their way out of the campus.

I sighed in relief.

"Mind telling me what that was about?"

"That, Zack my dearest, is Olivia Warren," I explained, our pace gradually slowing down.

"Oh shit," Zack groaned. "I didn't know, I'm sorry."

"That's okay, I don't think she got a good look at us anyway." I assured him, but I checked over my shoulder once more to be sure. "You know what, maybe we should just drop this whole tour thing and just hang out in my apartment."

Zack smirked. "Are you being suggestive, Miss Hathaway?" he teased, nudging me with his shoulder. I blushed, but played along anyway.

"Maybe," I put on my most innocent face.

Zack laughed and took my hand once more as we made our way back to my car. "You think your…ehrmm, boyfriend won't mind? What's his name again? Freddy?"

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Freddy's name.

"Well he _did _say he had plans for today," I shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Wherever he is, I'm sure he's having fun, in his own twisted way."

I glanced over my shoulder again, half-hoping to catch a glimpse of a messy blond head as I did.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

It's a fucking Saturday afternoon, and I'm in a _billiard hall_, playing with some dudes from my class.

Life sucks ass.

If you're thinking that I lied to Zack about having plans of my own, then, you're right. I didn't have anything planned for today. When I'd first heard that Zack was coming to town, I figured I could just tag along with him and Summer and hang out with them like old times. But after seeing them hug this morning, I realized that there was no way in hell I could stand being with the two of them when they were together. Which is really freaky, because I never really had a problem with that before. But I do now, so set out on my own even though I had no idea what I would do for the rest of the day.

First, I called Frankie, asking him if he wanted to meet up and get drunk or whatever. He said he can't because he was currently in a training session to join the SWAT team. I tried Eleni, but she said she worked the late shift at the bar last night and she was too tired to get out of bed. I called Michelle too, but all I got was the recorded message saying that she was currently busy and can't answer her calls at the moment. I even tried calling _Billy, _but the queer dude told me that he was on a date, and that I shouldn't call again. I tried asking him who he was out with just for the heck of it, but he hung up on me.

After that series of useless phone calls, I'd gone to _Playmates, _an inconspicuous adults only bar in the far side of town. Yeah, even at an early hour, it was already open. I planned on scoring several chicks. And I did, of course, how could I not? I am _the _master after all, and apparently I wasn't losing my touch. Several pieces of papers, each with a different phone number in different handwriting and some with a rather kinky request scrawled beneath the name, were now stuffed unceremoniously into my jeans' back pocket.

But it got old real fast.

_Freddy sauntered into the club, it's familiar flashy lights and tacky music filling his senses. It's been quite some time since he was here last, but the place didn't look like it changed much. _

_He made his way toward the bar and slumped on one of the round stools in front of it. The female bartender immediately dropped the dishrag she was using to wipe the counter and rushed over to him when she recognized he was._

"_Hello, Regina," he said, giving the dark-haired bartender a lopsided smile. _

"_Well, if it isn't one of my favorite customers," she purred, leaning forward on the counter, giving Freddy a good view of her ample bosom. "One of the usual, I presume?"_

"_Please." _

"_You got it," Regina gave a wink before she twirled around to fetch several liquor bottles from the cabinet behind her. "You know," she began while she poured the different alcoholic liquids in a glass to make Freddy's favorite cocktail. "I've been wondering where you've been. We missed you around here." She handed him his drink, her fingers brushing his hands ever so slightly. _

_He grinned at her, unfazed by her unwavering attention and provocative tone. "You say that to all your customers."_

"_Not really, just the cutest ones," Regina grinned back before straightening back up. "Well. I'd better get back to work. It was nice seeing you again, Freddy."_

_Freddy raised his glass to her in response before he set out to wander through the club. A number of girls came onto him, just like always. Several pieces of papers, each with a different phone number in different handwriting and some with a rather kinky request scrawled beneath the name, were now stuffed unceremoniously into his jeans' back pocket. But today, none of them really appealed to him. None of them had long raven hair, a full mouth and a bossy attitude. None of their names started with an S. _

'Where the hell did _that_ come from?' _he thought irritably, frowning as he flopped down in one of the booths in the corner. He brushed the stupid thought away. And when a particularly attractive redhead with smoldering green eyes approached him, he gave into her charms and flirted shamelessly with her. A few minutes later, they were already making out in that dark booth, his hands running in some very inappropriate places. _

_But when the redhead slipped her hands under his shirt, her long nails scratching his abdomen, he drew back, not really knowing why. Somehow, this wasn't satisfying him anymore. It just didn't feel…right. _

"_What's wrong, baby?" the redhead whispered huskily into his ear. He didn't answer. Instead, he got onto his feet, muttering an excuse before he rushed out of the bar._

Eventually, I left the adults only bar, smelling of cigarette smoke, gaudy perfume, and alcohol, the collar of my shirt bearing evidence of my earlier…uhh…activities, and took a stroll down Park Avenue. That was where I saw some of my Culvert classmates, who extended the billiards invitation to me.

_Upon passing by a music store, Freddy looked at his reflection. His hair and clothes were a mess, and he looked slightly disgruntled. He ran a hand through his hair in a feeble attempt to tame the messy blond locks. _

"_Hey Jones."_

_Looking up, Freddy found himself staring at a group of people. Four guys, to be exact. He searched his memory for their names and came up with Anthony, Jason, Carlos and Drew. The four guys were all from his block in Culvert Academy. _

"_Hey," he said, nodding in their general direction to acknowledge them. "What's up?"_

"_We're on our way to _Magic Eight Ball,_" said Jason the one with a sandy blond crew cut. "You want to join us?"_

_Freddy's eyebrows rose up in surprise. He knew this guys, sure, and he spoke to them when necessary, but they were hardly friends. He didn't think he even knew what their last names were. _

_But really, what did it matter? He was bored, and he had nothing else to do. _

"_Yeah, sure, count me in," Freddy heard himself say._

And that's how I came to be in this billiard hall in Park Square. On any other Saturday I wouldn't even be here. I'd probably be meeting up with Frankie (he, Eleni and Michelle and sometimes with either Marco or Leonard made it a point to come in this side of town to visit us ever since that _I've Never_ incident in Ipanema), bumming around my place and playing drums or just hanging out at Summer's until she kicks me out.

Huh. I wonder what she and Zack are doing now.

"Ahh, scratch!" Carlos, my Hispanic looking blockmate groaned and straightened up from the pool table. "Your turn, man."

I nodded and bent over the table, trying to find the correct angle to get the four-ball in the left pocket.

"Hello Freddy," said a familiar bland voice that made the hairs on my nape stand on end. Tightening my grip on my cuestick, I looked up to see who it was.

Olivia Warren stood a foot away from me, her camera hanging around her neck, and looking just as weird as ever. Probably, the only difference now is that she's got three piercings on her eyebrow, instead of one.

I knew it. Nobody could scare me as much as she does.

"Uhh…hey, Olivia," I stammered. My companions shared a look, biting their lips to keep themselves from snickering. Olivia's…err…_obsession _with me was not exactly a big secret. Before I arranged that deal with Summer, she was always waiting outside my classes, asking for me or asking my blockmates about me. "What're you doing here?"

"I work here, part time," she said hazily. Sometimes I could swear this chick's on crack. "We pay a high price for living in this world."

"Ain't it the truth," I said, backing away slowly. I made a mental note never to come here again. "Well, I guess I'll se you 'round." I turned my back on her, planning on going back to my billiard game.

"Wait, Freddy, I need to ask you something," she said, the energy in her voice increasing slightly.

"Olivia, if it's about that date thing, I already told you no," I said, exasperated. Can't the chick take a _freakin'_ hint? "I have a girlfriend and I'm staying loyal to her, all right?"

"I know that," she said, her gray eyes flashing slightly. "But here's my question: are you sure your girlfriend's doing the same thing?"

Uh. Huh?

"What are you _talking_ about?" I permitted her a confused frown.

"I'm just saying, keep a closer eye on her," she told me, acting all cryptic again. "Like I am on you."

I shook my head in disbelief when Olivia finally walked away, and disappeared in the billiard hall's back room. The girl was off her rocker, no doubt about it.

"I'm outta here, fellas," I grumbled, pulling out a couple of bills from my pocket to pay my share on the game. "See you guys in class."

The guys bid me goodbye right before I made my way toward the exit.

'_No point in staying any longer, anyway. I'm heading home,' _I thought as the swinging glass doors shut behind me, and the cold night air hitting my face.

I got back to my place at promptly seven in the evening. Usually I won't even be back here until eleven because that's the time when a highly irate Sum--.

Fuck it. Don't even go there Spazz.

And as I ate dinner (pizza and beer…joy) in my empty apartment, watching the sports channel on TV, once again I wasn't able to keep myself from wishing I'd spent the day with…Shit.

With someone else instead.

* * *

_to be continued…_

**A/N: **Is anybody still reading this thing? Haha. So very sorry that the update took so long. (Darned six-day school schedules. Who knew being an Operating Room nurse would be so freakin' tedious?) Oh well. This chapter had been written ages ago, but I'd only gotten around to editing it lately. Made a few changes in the events and added quite a few flashbacks, you see. Summer really wasn't supposed to tell Zack about that deal, but I thought it was about time she 'fessed up. I don't think someone like her could keep lying to him like that, no? Did anyone get confused with the feelings part? Well…that's kind of the point, I think. It's a very confusing stage for the lead characters.

I've got to tell you guys, I'm really having a hard time trying not to make Summer look like the bad guy here. She's not, really. She's just…as the song goes, torn between two lovers. (Ew. Cheesy.) And yeesh, that fight scene between Freddy and Zack...I worked hard not to make them look too gay. I've nothing against queers, but I'm not writing slash, now, am I? ;p

We got to see Zack…and a bit of Katie too, yay! This won't be the last that we'll see of them though, as well as the other SoR people.

Acknowledgments:  
"Might I point out that this is _my _room?" – Draco Sinister, Cassandra Claire  
S.O.S. – Good Charlotte  
Project Runway - ETC

Hah, forgive this writer. I'm new at all this rock business. S.O.S. is the only song I liked from Good Charlotte and I thought Freddy and Zack could pull off playing it with only a guitar and drums.

Do not fret, beloved readers, for 'tis not the end of Summer and Freddy!

**Up next: Chapter 10 Family Affairs**

Freddy gets unexpected visitors.

Please, please, _please _review! The more reviews I get, the more inspired I become. Bwahahaha. Yes, people, I am _coercing_ you to review me. Mucho thanks in advance!


	10. Family Affairs Part One

**What You Least Expect**  
**- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
****Me, Blueberry23, sun-eyed girl, Gothic Ghost** – thank you! I've updated as soon as I could!  
**Nanners-77** – I hadn't realized I've been nagging _that _much. But at least I got you to update! Seriously though, the few good writers in this fandom are either on temporary hiatus (wyverna, you, willy wonka obsession, I am not a chipmunk, A Sinner has a Prayer, ellinaHOPE and depressionisanillusion among others) or gone forever (I think. Whatever happened to Phish Food, thesolitarydragon and mistressplant? Feh). The lack on Freddy's part…you're right, I focused a bit more on Summer last chapter. Freddy's in major denial right now, because yeah, he's falling first. (He isn't taken, ergo it's easier for him to fall for someone.) And I guess it's also because Freddy doesn't think things over as much as Summer does. He's more of an…_actions_ type of guy. But you'll see a bit Freddy's side in this chapter and in either chapter 12 or 13. In the meantime, watch his body language.;p Good Charlotte. Haha. Like I said, I'm pretty clueless when it came to hardcore rock, really. Most of the rock songs I know are from the SoR soundtrack. Elaboration on Billy's date…I'm planning on keeping it a secret until chapter 13 too. Ooh…mystery man! You know, the idea of Zack as Billy's guy did cross my mind more than once, because I thought it'd be extremely funny, but…no. That wouldn't make any sense coz Summer's with Zack while Billy was on that date). Right now, all I can say is it's someone we all know. ;p I'll push Mooneyham away…eventually. Sometimes I wanna kick myself for making things so hard for me by putting Zack in at all. Oh well…can't take it back now.  
**writingrox12 **– procrastinators all over the world unite…TOMORROW! Bwaha. Anyhew, this isn't the first time I've heard (or read) theories involving Z/K. **woahhhh **is one of the other reviewers who thought of that.Will it happen, or not? I just really don't want to give much away…I like to keep everyone thinking, even if sometimes, its already painfully obvious.;p Mucho thanks for reviewing again!  
**Kisshu-luv** – a little enthusiastic, aren't we? But thanks, you make me blush.;p  
**ehmigawd rainbows** – Yay me, an SF convert! aww geez, you flatter me too much…(blush). Glad to have another SF shipper on board. Meds? Haha, I'm not really in a position to prescribe meds, but a glass of warm milk or a massage usually helps!  
**A Bloody Vampire** – couldn't agree with you more. SF rocks my socks! Cedric guy from Harry Potter? I didn't really think of him when looking for a Freddy actor actually, 'coz honestly, he kind of came across as somewhat gay in the movie. For me at least. But yeah, he _is _hot. ;p I considered Ryan Philippe in Cruel Intentions too for F's part, but I decided Sebastian was more of a Draco Malfoy-ish character than Freddy. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Sam Ska Skank** – wow thanks.;p I did work hard to keep most of the details true to the movie, and I'm glad you liked it. Thanks so much for reviewing!  
**Annise **– gah, lack of net connection is probably the worst thing I can imagine happening to me. Glad you managed to catch up though! And I'm glad you think the first person POVs worked, because honestly, I sometimes get a hard time writing because 1st person is a bit too limited sometimes, since it's like writing out things that come from the characters' minds. It can get a bit redundant, actually, but isn't that how we think sometimes? ;p Hope you enjoy reading this next chapter as much!  
**wyverna – **It always flatters me when one of the "old crowd" reviews me, and you are no exception. So yeah, I feel special, all right. ;p Thank you for reviewing, and for updating something (_Jukebox Queen_) as well!

**To all my readers:** this chapter and the next (Family Affairs Part Two) are filler chapters of some sort. Zack will be back for a second visit, and I need the fillers to put a long enough space between his first and second visit. Tried to make them as interesting as I could, though. But even though they're fillers, the next chapters _will _contain several hints and keypoints in the story, so I don't think they're totally useless.

And totally out of the blue, but did anyone see this latest photo of Kevin Clark with his head shaved and he looks a lot like Orlando Bloom?

Ooohkay, stopping now. That's getting long enough.

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note: _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in Italics are flashbacks unless labeled otherwise.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 10:** **Family Affairs Part One**

_**Summer**_

"What do you mean you're going on a _date_?" I cried into my mobile phone, screaming at Billy who was on the other line as the elevator to Freddy's apartment unit moved steadily upward.

"Good grief, Summer, not so _loud,_" he complained.

I ignored him andwailed on. "I told you we had to work on our thesis draft today!" I could almost see him wince away from his phone to keep his eardrum intact.

"I already gave you my share on the research, what do you need me for?"

I groaned. "You traitor. You know I don't want to be left alone with PMS Freddy right now!"

Billy snorted in laughter. "Don't you think you're overreacting a bit, Sum?"

"No," I stated, slumping backward on the metal wall of the elevator and adjusting my laptop bag on my shoulder. "I'm not overreacting."

If I were a stranger listening in to this conversation, I'd probably find it funny that some unknown _guy_ was PMSing. But I wasn't a stranger, and it wasn't an unknown guy, and that line was most certainly not funny because it was true. Freddy had been acting more irritable than a PMSy, menopausal woman and I've no idea why. All I know is, it started sometime during Zack's visit.

Zack had been heresince lastSaturday 'til Tuesday afternoon. (Today's a Saturday again.) Zack spent most of that time with me, and the rest of the time with Freddy. I even skipped all my classes on Monday to be with Zack. I did, however, give Billy specific instructions on watching Freddy like a hawk, and gave him permission to do slam his notebook into Freddy's head in case he falls asleep again. Freddy told me (rather rudely) to stop acting like he was a kid, and that he's very capable of making it through the day without our so-called help, thanksverymuch. Annoyed, I told him that he couldn't even make himself a sandwich before I finished giving Billy the rest of my instructions.

For some reason, Freddy seemed to avoid hanging with Zack when he was with me, and avoided hanging with me altogether. And whenever he happened to be in the same room with Zack and I, he'd act all tetchy and moody.

But to tell you the truth, I didn't even realize how funky he was acting until we saw Zack off the train station last Tuesday afternoon.

"_Are you _sure_ you didn't forget anything?" Summer asked Zack, looking apprehensive as she mentally went through a checklist she'd come up with for her boyfriend. The three of them, Zack, Summer and Freddy, were standing in the waiting area of the train station, waiting for the next train to arrive._

"Yes_ he's sure"' Freddy said testily, arms crossed on his chest while he leaned back on the heavily graffittied wall of the station. "Goddamnit Pixie, how many times do you have to ask him that?"_

_Summer scowled. She was used to Freddy riling her up, sure, but lately he's been doing it more than ever. And it was as if he wasn't even doing it on purpose. It almost seemed as if he was angry with her. _

"_Chill, man, 's all good," Zack chuckled, putting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder to keep her from snapping back at Freddy. A scowl that can rival Summer's own formed itself on Freddy's features. "Yeah, Sum, I've got everything here, don't worry." _

"_OK," Summer said, sparing Freddy a glare before nodding back at Zack. 'It's just that you're going across the country, and I don't want you to leave anything behind.'_

"_Sum, I already told you, you can't fit inside my bag," Zack deadpanned and laughed when Summer slapped his arm. Freddy's scowl deepened. He didn't know why he was feeling so grouchy lately, but he was. In fact, he was so grouchy that he even failed to notice Olivia Warren who had been gawking at the three of them (or perhaps at just him) once again. _

_Oh he wasn't jealous. He wasn't, really. He'd already established that fact, didn't he? He'd already told himself that he wasn't jealous, so it must be true. It should be true. _

_So why was he feeling a strange urge to hit something when Summer kissed Zack goodbye before the latter boy boarded his train?_

_Even the ride home had been far from pleasant. _

"_What's wrong with you?" Summer dared ask as she strapped herself in Freddy's car. _

"_What are you talking about? I'm fine," he barked, gunning up the engine savagely and put on some music. Summer's eyebrow popped up. She did _not _like the tone of Freddy's voice. But she didn't fancy the idea of walking home much so she decided to change the subject. _

"_I'd already told Zack about our deal," Summer began, adjusting the volume of the stereo so she could hear the Mr. Brightside_ _by The Killers better._

'Cause I can't look/

It's killing me/

And taking control/

Jealousy/

Turning saints into the sea/

"_Fantastic," was Freddy's curt reply. It took all of his restraint not to punch the stereo off so he didn't have to listen to the song's lyrics. _

"_He said it was fine with him, as long as we didn't…you know," Summer went on, and glanced up at the blond to see his reaction. _

_Freddy snorted derisively. "Of course we won't. Why would I even want to?" The statement didn't sound teasing. It was biting…and slightly embittered. _

"_Right, of course we won't," Summer snapped, and fixed her gaze on the window instead. Of course they won't. He wouldn't want to, she knew that and she's right. She's always right, and she liked that. But this time…she'd felt a bit hurt._

'_So that time in his apartment…' her mind began to think, but she refused to finish the thought. _

_The rest of the ride home was spent in uncomfortable silence._

He was like that for the rest of the week. Always moody, always snippy and of course, I was never one to back down on something like that, so I fought back. I thought we were already getting along better, but apparently I was wrong.

Which brings me back to the current situation. Several weeks ago, we had all been told to form groups of three and begin working on our thesis. Of course, Billy and I paired up immediately, and Freddy whined his way into becoming our third. We were already done with most of the research so I planned the meeting today for us to finish the thesis draft (due next Wednesday).

Early on, working on the draft with only Freddy would be tolerable for me. But since he's been acting so freaky lately, I'm not too keen on spending time with the blond, even if I was actually dying to find out why he's grouching.

As though reading my mind, Billy's voice came back in the line, permeating through my jumbled thoughts. "Okay, I'll try to see if I can swing by later in the afternoon," he said, attempting to calm me down. "And its not like the two of you fighting is a new concept. I'm sure you can manage without me for an afternoon."

I sighed just as the elevator dinged. "God I hope so," I managed to say, stepping out of the sliding doors and into the hallway. I bid Billy goodbye before I began the short walk towards Freddy's unit.

* * *

**_Freddy_**

That whole near-kiss debacle was weird to say the least, but other than that, the rest of the week went by surprisingly smoothly.

Ah hell, who am I kidding? It went about as smooth as an acne-prone teenage boy's forehead, what with all the sniping Summer and I had been doing. And its not the friendly banter I've recently grown accustomed to. Well…that was mostly my fault, since I usually start the fights. I've been feeling shitty all week, and I have no fucking clue why I'm getting angry at the smallest things... especially things that involved Summer and/or Zack. Just seeing her or hearing her voice elicits the weirdest reactions from me and I don't understand why.

It can't be jealousy. It shouldn't be jealousy. Why should I be jealous? I don't _like_ her. Really. I don't.

So I'd resorted to identifying these fucked up feelings as anger, something I _did_ understand. She'd been the biggest recipient of my newfound angst, really.

So I was surprised to see her standing in my doorway this morning, alone. Yeah, I knew that it was my turn to host the thesis meeting, but I didn't think Summer would be spending any alone time with me this soon, given the way I've been acting.

Well, I didn't want to spend any alone time with her either. I didn't want to spend a good hour of my time staring at her, trying not to stare at her and then get mad at her and myself in the process. But she was already here, what was I supposed to do? Shut the door in her face? Although that seems like the best choice, I can't do that to her. So I let her in, and now she was sitting on my living room floor, typing furiously away at her laptop, which she situated on the coffee table. We hadn't said much to each other since she arrived.

I, on my part, sat adjacently from her, earphones stuffed in my ears and trying my best to concentrate on the song that was currently playing in my iPod and not on the ludicrously cute expression on her face right now, with her forehead furrowed and lips pursed in concentration.

"Jones!" came the voice of the pixie who had been preying on my thoughts.

I looked up crossly from the thick wad of paper that I was (pretending to be) reading when a hand yanked out my earphones. "_What!_"

Oh, if looks could only kill, I would've been reincarnated twelve ways to Sunday. Summer was glaring at me with poisonous fury, her laptop's screen reflecting on her face and making her look more dangerous than usual. "Turn off that _stupid_ iPod and concentrate, or there will be bloodshed!"

"I _am_ concentrating!" I shot back at her, picking up her highlighter and uncapping it. Why oh why did I choose to group with _her _for a project? Fucking obsessive-compulsive pixie.

"Concentrating on what, trying to burn up our thesis draft with only your _mind?_" she sneered. "I thought your pyromania days were over."

"Summer, if ever you're thinking of getting a career in comedy, don't. You'll starve."

The sneer evaporated into a glower.

"I just want you to do your share, but you've been spacing out on me every ten minutes. We'll never get this thing done, if you keep that up!"

Reluctantly, I switched my iPod off and glared at the damned research material in front of me as if it kicked a hole into my bass drum. "Where's Billy? Why isn't he here for this torture?"

Summer gave me a dirty look. "He said he was going to meet someone today."

"And you let him? That's not fair! Why does he get to fool around, while I'm stuck here with _you_ and schoolwork?"

"Well, I'm not exactly enjoying myself either, am I?" she shot back, looking just a tiny bit hurt, which made me feel slightly guilty. "Billy's already given his share. He finished our working outline, and that research material you're holding is his work."

"Oh," I shrugged. "That explains the glitter and pink hearts on the margins."

Summer looked at me blankly for a moment before heaving a sigh.

"You know what? I need a break," she said, getting up on her feet and started for the kitchen. I can't be sure, but I think she'd gone to the kitchen for a caffeine fix.

I heard hesitant footsteps come back into the living room. I looked up.

"D'you want a snack? I brought brownies," she asked meekly. I raised an eyebrow, trying hard not to crack a smile. Summer's real proud of that fudge brownie recipe of hers. So what if I wasn't her favorite person at the moment? That won't stop her from showing off her cooking skills.

"Sure," I nodded, humoring her. Yeah, I know I'm not a chocolate fan but I'm a guy who can appreciate his pastries, especially if they're free. Besides, they're actually very good.

I was about to really start working when my doorbell sounded. Divine intervention? Probably. Maybe this is God's way of saying I'm not cut out for work this tedious. I got up suddenly and walked (more like limped; my leg fell asleep) toward the door to answer it.

And suddenly I just found myself drowning in blond hair, and two slim arms threatened to break off my neck.

"Freddy schnuckums! I've missed you so!" said a voice that probably belonged to my attacker.

I swear, I could already feel myself turning blue when she (Yeah, it sounded like a she. And I'm pretty sure those things that are pressed up against my chest weren't fashionable pillows) finally let go of me.

I pulled back from her. One look at her blond hair and sparkling blue eyes made me stagger backwards in surprise. The person in my doorway was someone I haven't seen in a _very_ long time.

"Jackie?"

* * *

**_Summer_**

With an exasperated sigh, I picked out a mug from Freddy's cupboard and poured myself some coffee. Heaven knows I needed the caffeine badly. Being cooped up in this apartment with Freddy has zapped me of all my energy, in an entirely negative way. Damned moody blond.

I heard the doorbell sound off just as I was picking up the plate of brownies I'd brought for our snack and headed back into the living room.

"Spazz? Who was--" the question remained lodged in my throat when I saw this blonde bombshell of a woman throw her arms around Freddy.

"Freddy schnuckums! I've missed you so!" she squealed in delight. My hands tightened around the plate I was holding so much, I thought the ceramic edges were going to break off. Who was this…this…_bimbo_ and why was she throwing herself all over Freddy? A groupie? An ex-girlfriend? A whore? Who? Does he even know her?

Not that I _mind_ of course.

"Jackie?" Freddy said, his voice betraying his surprise.

Oh look, she has a _name_, how lovely. So he _does _know her.

"Well don't just stand there, let me in, silly!" the girl, who's apparently called Jackie, said with a breathy giggle. I kept my feet planted firmly on my spot and took a good, long look at her.

She was very beautiful, I'll give her that. She had silky blonde hair that grew just past her shoulders in soft waves. The aqua colored tank top she was wearing enhanced her bright blue eyes. She had a good figure, with curves in all the right places, and from what the way she carried herself, I'm thinking she knew the fact very well.

I'm pretty sure I've never seen her before, but her features somehow struck me as familiar…

"Freddy?" I spoke up before I knew what I was doing. Both blonds turned to look in my direction.

"Oh, Summer, hey this is--" Freddy started rambling but Jackie cut in front of him and shut him up.

"Schnuckums, you didn't tell me you had company," she said, the Malibu Barbie smile still plastered on her face.

Freddy rushed over between us, his face white, clearly still in a state of shock. "Yeah, let me introduce you to--"

"Nonsense, sweetie, I can do it myself," Jackie cut in again. I chewed my tongue to keep my annoyance in check. Can't she just let him finish a sentence? And Freddy, why is he letting _her _walk all over him like this? She turned back to me, one hand on her hip, her smile changing from sunny to scary in an instant. Ooohkay. "Jacqueline. Jacqueline Jones."

My jaw dropped open. "Excuse me, _what?_" I managed to utter, feeling the color starting to drain from my face.

Did she just say her name was Jacqueline _Jones? _I knew Freddy Jones has done many atrocious things in his life, but I never thought he'd already be _married. _

"Summer, meet Jackie," Freddy chose that moment to intervene. "My sister."

* * *

**_Freddy_**

Summer's eyes bugged out. "Your _sister_?" she maged to say, looking very much taken aback.

"Oh she's _deaf_, aww, isn't that sad," Jackie purred, sparing Summer a pitying look.

It took Summer a moment to getover her initial shock and comprehend Jackie's scathing comment.

"_No,_ I'm Summer, actually," she forced a smile and held out her hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you."

Jackie simply looked at Summer's hand for a long moment and said "Yes, I'm sure," completely ignoring the friendly gesture on Summer's part. Summer's expression went from surprised to slightly annoyed.

"Care to help me with this?" Jackie said cheerfully, hanging one of her bags on Summer's outstretched hand. "Thanks, Sunny, you're a doll."

"It's Summer," said the pixie, pursing her lips and glaring at the Prada bag she now held.

If this were a normal circumstance, I would've laughed hysterically at the emotions that were flicking in and out of Summer's face. Right now, she looked as if she couldn't decide between being shocked or horrified or furious as Jackie trotted off to find the restroom.

"Your sister's…delightful," she said through gritted teeth once Jackie was out of earshot.

"Sorry 'bout that Tink. Jackie's cool, and I love her really, but she can be a real bitch."

"Gee, really? I haven't noticed," Summer said, sarcastic, but for the first time all week, I did not find anything mocking to say to her. I laughed hollowly as the two of us brought Jackie's bags into my room.

If anyone's wondering, Jacqueline Eliza Jones had been my ultimate role model.

Yeah, she was the bane of her teachers' existence. A royal pain in the ass. She was a prankster extraordinaire, with a sharp wit and tongue to match. Detention was her second home, and her favorite pastime was making people who annoyed her cry. I think she believed that she was born to irritate people and she's just fulfilling her destiny. Remember when Mrs. Dunham broke her leg on her way to school, and Ms. Mullins had to find a substitute? That was Jackie's doing. I'd told her how hard Ms. Dumbum was on me, and she decided to play a little trick on her.

But even though she seems like she's pure evil, we had a good relationship. She's the reason why no one ever tried to bully _me_ in the first place. She taught me all the mischief I knew, and helped me get out of trouble on more than one occasion.

It was her footsteps that I followed during my elementary years. That is, until our parents had had enough. Mom and Dad had just come home from her Parent-Teacher Conference, and they were really upset because Jackie failed all her subjects and they found out that she's gotten herself involved in a notorious gang. And to make matters worse, they caught Jackie making-out with a guy (the gang's front man) in her room. Dad exploded then. From my room, I could hear Jackie and my parents yelling at each other for hours. I was ten years old at the time, just a week after we met "Mr. Schneebly" and I was just starting to learn how to play the drums. I locked myself up in my room, watching a Keith Moon video and trying to imitate his playing style to keep myself preoccupied. The following morning, Jackie was gone. Our parents had disowned her, so she ran off.

That wasn't the last time I heard from her though. She still e-mailed often, and sometimes even went to see me when she knew our parents weren't home. She's not really all bad.

"Spazzy?" Summer waved a hand in front of my face to get my attention. "You've got company."

"Yeah I know, Jackie's in the restroom," I said distractedly.

Summer slapped my nape and I yelped. "Not Jackie, you fool. Someone else is looking for you."

Still rubbing my nape, I went back to the living room with Summer at my heels. Sure enough, an old lady, who was wearing a maroon knitted poncho and carrying a large paisley patterned bag, stood in my living room.

"Jackie, I'd just finished parking the car, are you sure this is the right place?" said the gray-haired newcomer. "Where is that girl?"

When I saw who the second visitor was, I felt my face break into a huge grin.

"Granny Helen!" I exclaimed. The woman turned her gaze toward me and narrowed her eyes, as though trying to see who I was. When recognition dawned on her, she let out an excited laugh.

"Wilfred, sweetheart, there you are!" Granny Helen said, the frames of her glasses twinkling as she outstretched her arms and motioned for me to come over. "Give Nana a big ol' hug."

I heard Summer snicker from behind me. "I'll go get us drinks, you give your Nana a big ol' huggie wuggie, OK, Fweddy?" she said the last few words in baby talk, and went for the kitchen laughing to herself.

I made a face at her retreating back and went to give Nana a hug anyway.

"It's about time, Nana, I thought you got lost again," Jackie said, suddenly reappearing in the living room.

"It's great to see you Nana, but _what _are you two doing here?" I asked Granny Helen after giving her a hug. Right after Dewey, Granny Helen is my favorite grown-up. Yeah she might be a hundred or so years old, and her teeth might rest in a glass on the sink at night, but she's really cool. She helped me persuade my parents to let me learn how to play drums and join the band. She even bought me my first drumkit. She wasn't nearly as conservative as my parents, which is probably the reason why Jackie chose to run to her when she got disowned.

"Well, we live on the city right next to this one, and thought we'd give you a visit. Let me look at you," Nana said, holding at arm's length, her hands on my shoulders. "I haven't seen you in such a long time. You've grown so tall!"

"I'll have you know that I take my vitamins religiously, Nana," I grinned at her, standing up to my full five foot twelve height.

"And you've grown so handsome, look at you, aren't you just a lady-killer," she said, pinching both my cheeks with much enthusiasm. My grin grew wider still. See? Told you she's my favorite grown-up.

"It's in the genes, Nana," Jackie said, winking at me as she settled herself on the couch. "We were just born into a desperately beautiful family."

"But why do you wear your hair like that? And what are these clothes you're wearing?" Nana scrutinized my outfit. "Why, your jeans are ripped at the knees! Aren't your parents sending you enough money? We're going shopping tomorrow, Wilfred. Those clothes need replacing."

I laughed. "My clothes are fine, Nana." Nana wasn't conservative, yeah, but her taste in clothing hasn't really caught up with the times. Jackie probably got away with wearing those outfits of hers because Nana had gotten used to them.

"How'd you find out I where I lived?" I asked them, sitting down next to Jackie on the three-seat, while Nana sat down on the single-seat.

"Called your parents of course," Nana said, rummaging on the coffee table, as though looking for something. "Now where's the damned remote, it's almost time for Smackdown."

Uhh…yeah. That's another thing that makes Granny Helen so cool. She actually _likes_ wrestling, even though she knows it's fake.

Summer came back with several glasses of lemon-iced tea and set them on the table.

"Aha! Found it. There we go," crowed Nana victoriously when she spotted my TV's remote control. Summer jumped slightly when Nana yelled just as she was about to hand Nana a glass of iced tea. "Oh thank you sweetheart," Nana told her when she took the drink from Summer. The pixie smiled at Nana politely before proceeding to hand Jackie another drink.

"Thanks Sunny, but next time, no ice in my drinks hmkay?" Jackie said in an overly sweet tone. I saw Summer's eyes flash.

"It's Summer," she said, taking her seat across Nana, and pulling her laptop towards her. She gave me a look again, one that conveyed annoyance, fear and desperation. I took a deep breath and sighed.

This is going to be one rocky afternoon.

* * *

**_Summer_**

I thought Freddy was the only spawn of evil. That is, until I met another spawn of evil named Jackie.

No wait. She's not _just_ a spawn of evil. She's evil incarnate. Now I knew where Freddy gets it.

I thought that crack about being deaf and her making me take her bag were unintentional. But then that kitchen incident had to happen.

_Summer was still chuckling at Freddy's expense as she went back to the kitchen to get drinks for the guests. On her way there, she passed by the bathroom, whose door just swung open. Jacqueline Jones stepped out, wiping her hands on her short denim skirt. The blonde had seen Summer, but pretended not to. She made her way towards the living room, treading on Summer's foot with her heeled stiletto boots. _

"_Ouch!" the shorter girl cried, tears of pain stinging her eyes. She was wearing open-toed sandals, for chrissakes!_

"_Oh gosh darn it I'm soooo sorry!" said Jackie, although she sounded anything but sorry. "You need a pedicure anyway, think of it as a favor, OK Sunny?"_

_Jackie gave a wink, and Summer's mouth dropped open in disbelief._

_With a satisfied smirk Jackie left Summer fuming, and muttering under her breath. _

I've no idea what she's trying to prove here, but I'm starting to become very, very irritated. I probably would've snapped at her, but I had this thing called _scruples, _something I'm sure she's never heard of. Jackie was older than I was, and I've been taught to respect people older than me, so that's what I'm going to do.

And then there's this weird thing. Even though Jackie makes me want to throw her off a cliff and make it look like an accident, I kind of wanted her to like me. I guess it comes with being an obsessive-compulsive perfectionist; you want to please everyone. Or maybe it's because she's Freddy's sister, and I want to make a good impression.

Uh. No. Scratch that last bit.

The best solution to this was to leave, but Freddy and I still had so much work to do and I can't just leave it hanging. That's why I chose to continue the work and try to ignore Jackie as much as I can. Fortunately, she's currently busy talking to Freddy, and had hopefully forgotten I was here.

"She a friend of yours, Freddy?" Granny Helen said, taking a good look at me before she went back to flipping from one channel to the next.

"Yeah, schnuckums, is she _just_ a friend? Coz I didn't think you dated anyone below a C-cup," Jackie grinned, flashing me a fleeting look before taking a drink from her glass. Well, so much for her forgetting I'm here.

'_Ignore, ignore, ignore,' _my mind said over and over. Hoping I could transfer my agitation on the poor device, I hit the keyboard as hard as I could. I wasn't able to keep myself from glancing down at my chest, though. _'What's wrong with being a B-cup, anyway?' _I thought bitterly._ ' Not all of us spend well-earned money on implants.'_

"Jackie, shut your mouth, girl," Granny Helen said, and Jackie muttered an apology. I felt a surge of affection for the old lady. "Well Freddy? Is she a friend of yours?"

"Yeah, sort of," Freddy said, glancing nervously at me. "Her name's Summer Hathaway,"

"Hello Summer," Nana smiled at me jovially.

"Pleased to meet you, Grandma Helen," I looked up at Grandma Helen from the top of my laptop and smiled back.

"Please, call me Nana."

"Hathaway," Jackie put down her glass on the coffee table, just beside the coaster. My eyebrow twitched upon seeing the water ring that was forming around the glass's base. I varnished that table by _hand_. Doesn't she know what _coasters_ are for? "I've heard that name before…Did you go to Horace Green, by any chance?"

"Yes, I did," I replied curtly.

"We were in the same class since kindergarten," Freddy added.

Jackie's eyes lit up. Whatever she was going to say, I knew it wasn't going to be good.

"Oh yes, I remember you now! You're the girl with the big head and bad teeth!" she said, laughing good-naturedly like she actually thought I'd find that _funny_. My typing only grew louder as Jackie continued to talk. "Didn't she use to run around smelling like rotten eggs with a Kick Me sign stuck on her butt?"

The memory flashed in my mind, and I blushed beet red. It was Family Day in Horace Green and we were in first-grade. Frankie and Freddy had collaborated on a prank and I was the unfortunate victim. Whether I was chosen specifically, or it was just a coincidence, I never found out. Nevertheless, the mention of it still brought back very bad thoughts. Sometimes, I swear I could still smell the rotten eggs.

Freddy burst out laughing at the memory. "Yeah, yeah, I remember that, she--" he was about to relay the whole story when I shot him a look of pure venom. Freddy shut up immediately.

"Would you like a brownie, Nana?" I said loudly, pushing the plate towards Granny Helen. The fake smile plastered on my face was starting to hurt.

"Thanks, hun," Nana said, gratefully taking a brownie.

"Nana, put that disgusting thing down," Jackie ordered. My eyebrow twitched again. Did she just call my brownies _disgusting_? "Are you _trying_ to kill her, Sunny? Nana's diabetic!"

I gasped, letting the name thing slide. "Oh my God, I'm sorry Nana, I didn't know," I said in a hurry.

"Don't worry too much about it, hun," Nana assured me. "Jackie, I have my meds, you can stop fussing now. Let me get a little chocolate." Jackie rolled her eyes as Nana turned back to smile at me again. "They're very good, by the way. Did you make these by yourself Summer?"

"Thank you, yes I did," I beamed. I was liking Nana just as much as I was hating Jackie. "I enjoy baking."

"How _sweet_, she enjoys baking," Jackie crossed her legs at the knees, and leaned back against the couch to sneer at me.

"If it's any consolation, Tink, I enjoy your baking too," said Freddy, stuffing his mouth with a brownie, a hint of a grin on his lips. That was weird. Wasn't he mad supposed to be mad at me? All the same, I was glad that he was trying to back me up. I had to smile back.

"Should we get back to work?" he asked, and I was stunned. Freddy wanted to go back to work? Now _that_ is even weirder.

But it's just probably because he's trying to stop me from stabbing his sister's throat with a fountain pen. I'm sure he noticed how very irked I was becoming.

"Yeah, we probably should," I replied, handing him my yellow highlighter and the material he needed to summarize.

"What're you working on, Freddy?" Jackie asked, peering over Freddy's shoulder.

"Thesis paper," he grumbled.

"Oh you're _studying_…on a Friday night!" she said slowly, like the truth had just dawned to her and she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Poor Freddy, forced to stay home and study on a Friday night like some preppy loser without a life. Why don't we go out and have a little fun tonight huh? I'm sure Summer won't mind working without you for a few hours, would you Summer? I mean, I'm sure you're used to spending Friday nights alone, but Freddy--"

I took a deep breath. "As a matter of fact, I would," I said, cutting into her speech and meeting Jackie's gaze head-on. Jackie's smile faltered a little.

"I can't go anyway, sis," Freddy replied, looking from Jackie to me and back. I could tell he felt the tension. Granny Helen stayed oblivious to the situation as she watched guys named Edge and Mick Foley beat each other's brains out on TV. I wondered where I could buy one of those steel chairs; I could break Jackie's spine with it. "The deadline's next week, and we still have a lot of work to do."

"Since when do _you_ care about deadlines?" Jackie snorted. "Deadlines are for geeks and dweebettes, bro."

Jackie glanced in my direction as she said this. I wanted to scream in frustration. She was pushing all my buttons, I just know it.

"Well, some people actually take studies seriously so they could _pass _their subjects, and _not_ get disowned by their parents. Isn't that just amazing?"

Freddy's head shot up in my direction, and so did Jackie. I bit my lip. Whoops. Did I say that out loud?

There was a moment of silence. Jackie's eyebrow rose, and a smile began to play on her lips.

"Oh I take other things _very_ seriously, Sunny," she said in a dangerously low voice. The look in her eyes said the message _'Bring it on, bitch'_ loud and clear.

Stupid, stupid move, Summer.

"I think, I'd better go," I said softly, shutting off my laptop and gathering my things. The sooner I get out of here, the better.

_

* * *

**Freddy**_

I can't believe Summer just said that.

And neither can Jackie. Nobody ever had the guts to talk to her like that. I've seen that smile on Jackie's face before and whatever was running in her mind right now, I'm sure it wasn't pleasant.

And by the way Summer was biting her lip, I think she caught on too.

"I think I'd better go," she said, quietly picking up all her things and putting them inside her mailbag. She caught my eye and gave me a meaningful look. I nodded in response, understanding fully what she meant. She had to get out of here, fast.

"I'll walk you to your car," I said, standing up too.

I helped her gather her things, and when we got to the door I whispered an apology to her. "Listen, Tink, I'm really sorry about this. I didn't know she was coming today."

Summer looked at me in mild surprise before she smiled wearily, answering in an equally low voice so Jackie and Nana wouldn't overhear. "It's not your fault, Spazzy, don't worry. I guess I'm just really tired."

"Maybe you shouldn't come over until they leave," I suggested. I was sure Summer's last comment made a lasting mark on Jackie, and she's _not_ going to let the Pixie forget it. "I'll just make it up to you and Billy."

"I suppose that's the best thing to do," she let out a sigh. "I just hope Billy and I could finish in time."

"Where are you going?" Nana said, tearing her gaze away from the TV screen, and noticed that the two of us were hovering at the doorway. "Leaving already, Summer? Aren't you staying for dinner?"

"Uh, yes Nana, I'm sorry I can't stay," Summer apologized, although she looked quite relieved to be leaving.

"Well come on back tomorrow, sweetheart, I'll show you how to make blueberry crumble," Nana said, standing up from her seat to give Summer one of her famous hugs.

"I'd love to, but I can't," Summer said when she pulled back from Nana and looked at me for help.

I caught on quickly and spoke up. "Yeah, our thesis paper still needs a lot of work."

"Oh please, those things can wait, I'm sure," Nana waved off our protests, her gold bangles jingling merrily on her wrist. "Jackie and I are leaving again tomorrow afternoon, and I'd love to get to know you more. I hardly get to meet any of Freddy's friends, especially his lady friends."

"Nana!" I whined, trying to shut her up. Sometimes, she can't help being a grandma too.

"What? I'm just saying," Nana frowned at me before looking back at Summer with a smile. "What do you say, sweetie. Will you be back tomorrow?"

Summer hesitated. "I don't know if I could come back tomorrow, Nana, I--"

"Yeah, Summer, will you be back tomorrow?" Jackie sang from her spot on the couch, a steely glint in her blue eyes.

"Jackie, please!" I cried, wanting to shut my sister up too. Summer has a good restraint (she's put up with me for years, how could she not?), but even she could only take so much.

Summer's eyes flashed again, before she smiled back at Nana. "I can't come over tomorrow, but I _could_ meet you guys for lunch. Would that be OK?"

"Much better," Nana said happily, looking satisfied with herself. "Take care now, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Come on Tink," I said, grabbing her by the elbow and dragging her outside. Once we were out in the hallway and the door was shut behind us, I let her go. "Are you crazy? Jackie's going to slaughter you!"

"I know," Summer groaned, running a hand through her hair. All feelings of animosity I had been harboring towards her all week long evaporated when I saw how helpless she seemed right then. "But did you see what she was doing? She was _mocking_ me! I can't back down on a challenge like that, I just can't."

"Sum, you're playing right into her hands," I told her, taking her mailbag so I could carry it for her as we took the elevator to the first floor of the apartment building.

"You're making her sound like Cruella De Vil," Summer said, unable to keep herself from smiling. "Don't you ever stand up to her?"

"I never really had to," I shrugged. "She likes me. Blood immunity or something, I guess. And she's like my master, y'know? The pupil can _never_ question the master."

Now Summer was laughing. "Now you sound like a cheap Star Wars imitation," she said.

I can't help smiling myself. "So you're sure you still want to come over tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I promised Nana I'd go anyway," she was biting her lip, but she looked decided.

"OK. Listen to me," I grabbed her hand and she stopped in her tracks to look up at me in the eye.

For a moment there, I'd forgotten what I was about to say. Damn. She really shouldn't look at me like that.

"Spazz? You were saying?" she prompted.

"Oh yeah," I said, trying to gather my thoughts together. "Whatever Jackie might do or say tomorrow…well…just don't mind her. She's always been like that. She really likes to wind people up."

"Sounds like someone I know." Her eyebrow rose in amusement.

I laughed. "Yes, well, she _is _my sister, y'know. I'll try to talk to her about it, though."

"Thanks," Summer smiled at me as she loaded her stuff into the backseat of her car. Her apartment was just a block away from mine, but she brought her car anyway, since she's carrying so much stuff. Too bad. I would've liked to walk her home. I kinda missed talking to her without arguing.

"What, that's it? I'm going to try to keep my _Jacqueline Jones_ from totally destroying your self-esteem tomorrow, and all I get is a lame thanks?" I kidded, raising an eyebrow at her. "Come on Tink, I know you can do better than that."

"Fine, fine," she said, rolling her eyes but laughing all the same.

At most, I thought she'd offer to make strawberry shortcake for me, or something. I didn't think she'd come up to me and circle her arms around my waist to give me a hug. Which is much, much better than any shortcake, really.

A tiny bubble of elation had just formed itself inside my chest, and it was forcing me to smile. I placed my own arms around her tiny form and hugged her back, running my fingers through her silky hair. Why was I mad at her again?

"Thank you Spazzy," she murmured, before pulling back to give me a shy smile. "See you tomorrow. Good night."

"Night Tink," I replied as she slid into the driver's seat.

I stood on the sidewalk until she disappeared around the curb. Sheesh. I think I'm going to have to spatula this goofy smile of my face.

* * *

_to be continued…_

**A/N:** There you go, my very own version of meet-the-parents with a twist. Of course, Freddy's _parents_ shouldn't see Summer and Freddy acting all couple-y, because they knew _Zack's_ parents, who knew that Summer was really Zack's girlfriend.

It all has a point, I swear. It'll be all explained on the following chapter, so be sure to check it out, 'kay?

Did anybody notice that the way Freddy is going through this…_situation_ is like the way people do when they're trying to cope with death and grieving? First it was the denial stage, and then it was anger stage. The next three stages, bargaining, depression and finally, acceptance, will also probably be incorporated in the following chapters. I was studying for Psychology the other day, and I came across the stages of coping with loss, and thought it a good idea to use it in my fic. Hah. So those freakin' textbooks can be useful after all.

And for those who don't know what PMS is, it is that bizarre phase some women go through when they have their monthly period. Crankiness and frequent mood swings are some of the more common symptoms.

Forgive me if this chapter, for lack of a better word, sucks. I was on night duty, and my brain is still a bit loopy.

**Next Up: Chapter 11: Family Affairs Part 2**

It's the Jackie and Summer face-off. Is Jackie really the mean girl she seems to be? And something that everyone's been waiting for is about to happen. Yeeeeeeaaaaahhh…Hahaha.

Send me love, people! **_Review! _**


	11. Family Affairs Part Two

**What You Least Expect**  
**- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
****writingrox12 **– but it's Prada! Don't you just want to steal it and find something else to shove up Jackie's…haha. Thanks for reviewing!**  
wateva101** – added you on my mailing list. Hope you like this chapter!  
**Nanners-77** – Gah, I'm writing as fast as I can, I swear! I actually didn't want to edit this chapter until I finished writing chapter 15 (yeah, I've written as far as the 14th chap and the beginning of the 15th) but I don't really want to make you people wait too long. Bwaha. You should update too, I wanna know what that little black dress incident is all about!  
**Kisshu-luv** – Hope you had fun in Great America. Jackie? Not a soft-side per se buuuut…she does have her reasons for acting bitchy. Read on to find out what they are!  
**mcekul** – thank you!  
**ehmigawd rainbows** – aww geez, I'm not all that, really. (blushes) I just happen to really like writing as a pastime and love School of Rock even more. Why don't you write something and put it up? I'll be sure to read it, I promise, even if it isn't FS. : )  
**A Bloody Vampire** – Eh well, that gay thing? It probably has something to do with that scene where he was lying on those other boys laps. ;p I liked Psych too, so I guess that makes the both of us freaks. We'll see Jackie's normal side in this chapter. Glad you thought she really was a female Freddy. That was what I was hoping for. Mucho thanks for reviewing as always!  
**i am not a chipmunk** – Woot! Congratulations, you're my 100th reviewer! I'd give you a prize, but…I'm broke.;p Making Summer jealous with an old girlfriend is a little too cliché for my taste, and Freddy's never had a girlfriend before anyway, so I opted for the loopy grandma and the bitchy disowned sister. Glad you liked it! I've updated as soon as I can, it's your turn now!  
**D.M. Ralte **– I'm an inspiration? Golly gee whiz, that's an incredibly huge honor, thanks!;p Hurry up with that FS fic then, I hope we get to read it soon! One question though…is it multi-chap or just a one shot? It doesn't really matter really, 'cause I'll be sure to read it either way.;p  
**Me** – Ba da ba ba ba love ko to. (It's the Filipino version.;p)  
**Kevin'sQT** – You're not into FS? Aww…but I'm glad you found this to your liking! Hope you like this next installment too!  
**deviocity** – Billy's date is someone we all know, yeah.;p You don't like Jackie? I actually had a lot of fun writing her. Maybe this chapter would change your mind. Thanks for the review!  
**Artemis Citrine** – ten chapters in two hours? Geezus Christ, you're a fast reader! Glad you like it, thanks for the review!  
**sweetcaroline** – Oh hey, glad to see you're back as well! Billy's date, as I've mentioned somewhere above, would be revealed on chapter 13. For now, I'm having fun with keeping you guys guessing.;p Good job on the _Serendipity_ updates, btw!  
**Kara** – Ouch. You were bored? Ah man, I must be losing my mojo. Demmit. But I hope you like this better than the last chap. Thanks for reviewing!  
**ilovestrawberries** – I wouldn't say dead…hmm…read on and see for yourself. Thanks for the review!

I've reached three-digit reviews…Ah gahd, I'm so happeeeeeeeee! Aww, I think I'm gonna cry…Thank you so much for sticking with me. You people are the best! And oh, if anyone's wondering (like Kisshu-luv), my name's Chenyl and I'm female. Tell me, do I really come across as a guy? Lolz.

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note: _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in Italics are flashbacks unless labeled otherwise.

(sniffles) On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 11:** **Family Affairs Part Two**

**_Freddy_**

People seemed to be shuffling about at such an early hour. Even with my eyes closed I could hear fuzzy footsteps and movement in the relatively small apartment. With a groan, I rolled over in my sleep and—

_Thump. _

Ouch.

I blearily opened one eye and found that I'd fallen off…the couch. I was lying flat on my back on the carpet. One of my legs still on the leather couch's edge while the other was stretched out on the floor, and a blanket was tangled around my torso. It took a moment for me to remember why I was on the couch instead of my bed in the first place. Jackie and Nana.

Jackie slept on my bed last night, and Granny Helen used the twin bed so I had no other choice but to sleep on the couch for the night. Call it chivalry.

I slowly sat up on my feet and blinked several times until I could see properly again. The air was thick with the smell of pancakes and maple syrup. With a smile, I remembered that like most grandmothers, Nana had a sheer love for the kitchen.

I got on my feet and padded toward the bathroom, passing Jackie on the way. Her choice in sleepwear hasn't changed at all; she still liked to sleep in a white tank and pajama bottoms.

"Morning bro," she said, speaking through a yawn and covering her mouth with her hand. I mumbled a reply before going to do my morning ritual of showering and…stuff.

I spoke to her last night. You know, about taking it easy on Summer. Jackie looked a bit taken aback when I did that actually. But she promised to tone the bitchiness down a little, although not in those same words.

_Freddy hesitated before finally knocking on the bathroom door. Nana was already in the bedroom, getting under the covers_

"_Jackie?" _

"_Hmm?" came the muffled response._

"_Can I talk to you for a sec?" The sound of rushing water stopped, and in a moment, the door opened to reveal his sister, who had her toothbrush stuffed inside her mouth._ _Apparently,_ s_he had been brushing her teeth when Freddy knocked._

"_Wha' abou'?" she managed to say through a mouthful of foam. _

"_About Summer," Freddy said to the older girl, who nodded to urge him to continue. "I know it's real fun, but…" he hesitated again before going on. This was weird. "Can you not bitch on her too much?"_

_Both of Jackie's eyebrows rose, suspicious, confused and a tad bit amused. Her brother always liked to act tough, but he never had the spine, or maybe just the initiative, to stand up to her. _

"_Why?" she asked, a ghost of a smile visible even through the foam. "From what I recall from the stories you tell me bro, you used to bitch on her all the time too."_

_He flushed, ashamed of himself. "Yeah but…things changed, 'ayt?" he said as he watched Jackie bend towards the sink to spit out the foam and gargle. "Come on, promise me you won't be so hard on her tomorrow."_

"_All right, all right, I'll tone it down like half a notch or something," Jackie rolled her eyes as she wiped her mouth with a fuzzy green towel. "Happy?"_

_Freddy grinned gratefully. "Yeah, thanks."_

I know half a notch doesn't seem like much, but believe me, when it comes to Jackie, half a notch is better than nothing at all.

"Wilfred, sweetheart, come on and have breakfast," Nana Helen greeted me when I appeared in the kitchen. She held out a plate with a stack of blueberry pancakes at me and I happily took it from her before sitting down on the kitchen table. Nana chuckled to herself, watching me shovel the food into my mouth with much gusto as she set a glass of orange juice in front of me. It's been a long time since I've had a proper breakfast. Proper lunch and dinners yeah, (my forcing myself in Billy and Summer's residence made sure of that) but breakfast no. I couldn't wake up early enough for breakfast anyway.

"I found a few nice-looking clothes inside that closet of yours," said Nana Helen as she sat on the chair across from me and pulled out another chair for Jackie, who had gotten back from changing her clothes. "Why don't you change into them before we leave? And then we'll do something about your hair."

"Why, what's wrong with this?" I looked down and checked the clothes I was wearing; a band shirt (I'd chosen The Clash for today) and black cargo shorts, my usual getup. "I look OK."

"But these would look better on you," Nana argued and held up several pieces of clothing. "I don't know why you never were them, look the tags are still on." With a frown, I vaguely recognized the light-blue long-sleeved shirt and the knitted vest.

"They're preppy," I stated blankly, as though those two words explained everything. Nana didn't seem to understand though.

"The color will bring out your nice eyes, Wilfred," Nana insisted.

"But they're _pastel._"

Granted, they were in shades of blue, but they were pastels nonetheless. Those clothes were at the bottom of the closet for a reason. I swore never to wear them, ever.

"I think Summer would find them quite attractive," she winked at me knowingly.

I glared at the offending garments. "So? All the more reason not to wear them," I said, but the statement lacked sincerity. I think Jackie noticed the lack in sincerity, because she snorted into her coffee and said "Yeah right."

"If you don't wear these, Wilfred, you won't be getting any blueberry crumble," Nana threatened, holding out the newly baked pie. (Yes, my apartment came with a fully furnished kitchen, and that included an oven.) I nearly fell out of my chair as I eyed Nana's creation hungrily.

"Nana, you sadist!" I muttered, glaring darkly at the slightly smoking pie that Nana put down on the kitchen counter to cool. "I don't care, I don't even want that stupid pie. I'm not wearing those clothes, not now, not ever!"

* * *

"I can't believe I'm wearing _this_," I grumbled irritably. "I look like an idiot." 

Jackie snickered beside me and I glared at her. "This is the part where you're supposed to say 'No Freddy, you still look devilishly handsome even with your hair on stupid a side-part'."

"Okay, okay," she said, sobering up."No Freddy, you still look devilishly handsome even with your hair on a stupid side-part and you're dressed like a total dork," she said, smirking as she studied my outfit before promptly bursting out in laughter. I gave her a playful shove and she shoved me back. Yeah, we were acting like seven-year-olds, but what the hell. We haven't seen each other in ages, and we were making up for lost time.

"I can't believe I let Nana talk me into this," I shook my head in disbelief, glancing at the elderly woman who was walking jovially ahead of Jackie and I. The three of us had gone to the mall after breakfast where we're meeting Summer for lunch later, but before we left, Nana coerced me into wearing these ridiculously preppy clothes.

I swear to god, I haven't looked this stupid since Horace Green Elementary. (Sure, I still wore uniforms in high school, but I didn't have to put my hair on a freakin' side-part.) I don't even know where I got them, anyway. They must've been given to me, since I wouldn't be caught dead shopping for something this nasty.

Jackie shrugged. "You know Nana. Once she gets something in her head, it's hard to make her forget it."

"I'm sure Summer won't let me forget it either," I muttered. Nana said she thought the pixie would like it. Hah. I _knew_ she'd like it; it'd inspire her to think of a dozen new ways to taunt me.

"Quit your bellyaching boy, you look very nice," Nana said, suddenly stopping in front of me to straighten out my collar. My _collar._ I had a fucking collar! I haven't worn anything with a collar in years. I had hoped that Nana would want to go to somewhere discreet, like a museum or something, where there is a smaller chance of anybody seeing me, but nooooooo. She just had to ask us to go window-shopping (well, really shopping in Jackie's case) at the mall. The freakin' _mall._ The watering hole of all college students.

I hope Nana forgets that we're supposed to meet Summer. Sure, it'll be great hanging with the pixie again, but she'll _never_ let me hear the end of it.

"Aren't we supposed to meet Sunny for lunch? It's already eleven thirty," Jackie said, shifting her shopping bags to check her watch.

"Oh that's right," Nana replied in the manner of someone who just remembered something. "Where would we be meeting her again?"

"Traitor," I spat at Jackie, who just grinned back at me.

"Sorry bro, but I have a score to settle with Sunny," she said.

"Jackie, you promised," I reminded her.

Her grin grew wider, more wicked. "You know what they say, brother," she said, handing me several of her shopping bags unceremoniously so I would have to carry them. "Promises were made to be broken."

She then proceeded to flounce ahead of me, looking more like an extremely excited teenager than a twenty-one year old. Yeesh.

* * *

**_Summer_**

I kept my gaze fixed on his light brown eyes, trying to stare him down. He stared right back, meeting my gaze head-on, refusing to break under the pressure. We've been at it for five whole minutes now.

…

Fine, I give up!

"Oh come on, Billy, 'fess up!" I pleaded, not caring whether the people in the next booth were glancing over in our table to see what the ruckus is. We were in Henrico's, a pizza and pasta place we frequented, waiting for Freddy, Nana and Jackie to arrive. He had been telling me all about his date with 'the guy', but he wouldn't tell me who it was. "Please, please tell me who it is?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Billy shook his head stubbornly. "I already told you, Summer, I'm not ready to tell you yet. We're not even official yet, and I want to make sure he's a keeper first."

"Why do I get the feeling that I already _know _this guy?" I demanded, wrinkling my nose up. A flush of color instantly crept up Billy's fair cheekbones. I sighed. "All right, fine. I won't pester you anymore for now. But you have to promise to tell me who it is soon, OK? You're killing me here."

"I will, I promise," Billy agreed. "Anyway, what I _can _tell you is that he is _such_ a sweetheart. We met up early at the mall right? We spent most of the day talking about business, y'know. And then we went to have dinner in this…"

He continued to describe the details of his date with his Mystery Guy, who was apparently working for _Hot Topic_, and he was actually helping Billy get into the fashion design team of the said store. I was listening so intently to him that I almost didn't notice Andrew Kohlberg standing just outside Henrico's glass doors, waving at me with a smile. Andrew is a blockmate of ours who enrolled late in the semester. He needed a hand in catching up for Statistics class, and our professor chose me to tutor him for a while. I wouldn't say we were close, but he calls me sometimes, and talk a lot in class. I waved back at him.

"Hello, Summer? Are you listening?" When I snapped my attention back to Billy, he was frowning at me.

"Yeah, I just saw Andrew Kohlberg wave at us, so I waved back."

"Andrew? The transfer student?" Billy turned to look out the glass windows of the pizza place until he spotted our tall, dark-haired classmate, who was already starting to walk away.

"Yeah, he invited me to this Halloween party thing his fraternity's having three weeks from now," I replied when Billy had turned back to me. "Your old roommates invited you too, didn't they?"

"Yes," Billy shrugged, and that seemed to be the last thing he has to say on the matter. "You know, Sum, since you helped Andrew out in Stats class, that boy has been paying too much attention on you. I'm kind of shocked that he didn't even come over to say hi to you."

I raised an eyebrow. "What are you _talking_ about?"

"Honestly, Summer, you can be so _naïve _sometimes," Billy sighed, rolling his eyes impatiently. "Looking at you during class? Offering to carry your stuff when Freddy's not around?" he ticked the items of his slender fingers as he spoke. "It's like highschool all over again!"

"I just don't like to assume things, that's all," I said, shaking my head, refusing to even listen to Billy's bizarre theories. "And even if that were true, he's not really my type."

"Not your _type?_" Billy enunciated, gawking at me as though I've sprouted another head. "He's like, the hottest thing I've seen since Brad Pitt's ass in _Troy_!"

I burst out laughing. "Yeah well, it doesn't matter anyway. I have a boyfriend." True, Andrew was a common hottie, with his boy-next-door good looks and charming persona, but I never really gave him much thought 'cause I was in love with someone else.

Billy looked confused. "Which boyfriend are we talking about here, again? Zack or Freddy"

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. For a moment there, I wasn't sure what to say. I wanted to kick myself. What the hell was that? Had I actually forgotten who my boyfriend really was?

Fortunately, Billy wasn't finished talking yet, and didn't notice my moment of hesitation. "Because I don't think he knows about Zack, does he?" he went on speaking. Whew.

"No, he doesn't," I replied slowly. Time to change the topic. "Anyway, did I tell you about how _she _had nearly broken my toe with her stupid boot? I mean, okay sure, it was a really nice boot and all, but did she have to show it off to my _foot_?"

By she, of course I meant Jackie.I had already told Billy of the Jackie situation when I came home last night, which is kind of the reason why he's here with me today. If I were to face Jackie again, I _so _needed reinforcements.

"Yes, Sum, you already told me that, _and_ the wisecrack she made on your brownies, _and_ the implications on you're being a nerdy do-gooder," Billy said, rolling his eyes before picking up his glass of iced to drink. (Oh look, how cute, his polished pinky is sticking out.) "Honestly, sweetheart, you're going to get a stroke, if you keep that up."

"Jeez, sor-ry," I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. "I just want you to get a good picture of how evil she can really—"

My sentence was cut short when Billy glanced at something behind me and choked on his iced tea, his eyes wide with shock.

"Billy? Oh my god, are you OK?" I tensed up, panic-stricken and ready to call for help. He was rapidly turning red from so much coughing, but he waved his hand carelessly, as though to say he'll be fine. Whatever it was he saw, he seemed to have found it both astonishing and hilarious.

"Oh my _God_, Jones," he managed to say in between coughs. "What have you _done_ to yourself?"

Jones? As in Freddy? He was here already?

I slowly craned my neck to look behind me and sure enough there he was, standing between Nana and Jackie. He was carrying several shopping bags and he looked very close to being mutinous.

My hand flew up to my mouth when I finally understood what Billy meant. One look at his appearance, and I was sure his cross disposition didn't have anything to do with having to carry the shopping bags.

"Freddy—" I began, but he cut me off with a glare.

"Not a word from you, Hathaway," he warned. I bit my lip, trying not to laugh as I let my eyes roam over his whole outfit, from the black trousers, to the blue-and-gray, diamond-patterned knit vest, to the long-sleeved polo shirt to the…heaven forbid, the side-parted hair. It was like watching a flashback in color. I've never seen Freddy look like this since Horace Green Elementary.

"I was just going to say that that's an interesting choice of clothes you have there," I blurted out, unable to hide the giggle in the statement.

"Interesting my ass, this is all Nana's fault," Freddy muttered, throwing a nasty look in Nana's direction.

"Stop complaining, you look lovely," Nana said, which only made Freddy frown harder. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I had to agree with Nana. I really think the side-parted hair suited him better, even back in Horace Green. The hair, paired with his baby-blues, made him look sweet, more innocent.

Hah. Innocent. Yeah right.

"Scoot, Tink, I need to sit down. These two dragged me into their shopping and made me carry all their stuff," said Freddy, jerking his head in Jackie and Nana's direction. I rolled my eyes, but moved to make room for him anyway so he could take a seat beside me. Jackie took the seat on one end of the rectangular table, and Nana took the one on the other end. Billy sat across from me, and the shopping bags were piled haphazardly on the empty seat beside him.

That put Freddy on my right side, and Jackie on my left. Oh _joy_.

"Hello, fabulous people, I don't believe we've met," Billy said, flashing Nana and Jackie his most winning smile. "I am Billy, and I _love_ your skirt," he nodded at Jackie's outfit approvingly.

The look on my face simply said, _Billy, what d'you think you're _doing Still checking out Jackie's chosen ensemble, he didn't seem to notice my warning glances and went on to ask "Gucci, Spring 2005 Collection?"

Placing my forehead in my hand, I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to watch. Oh God, Jackie was going to slaughter the poor guy I just _know_ it.

"Yeah, can you believe I got them on sale last weekend?" Jackie enthused. I opened an eye and saw her motioning at her pleated, plaid miniskirt, seeming genuinely pleased at the compliment. "They were fifty percent off, and I'm like, no way am I passing up on that."

Billy brightened up considerably. "You _have_ to tell me where you go shopping. This Dolce shirt I'm wearing? I fell in love with it the moment I saw it, so I got it on full price. Can you believe it?"

I looked from Billy to Jackie and back, eyebrows raised and mouth gaping open as they continued firing fashion questions at each other. Hello? Did I just enter a parallel universe or something? Are they _bonding?_ Is this Jackie a pod-person or something? 'Cause she seemed much nicer today than she was last night.

"Oohkay, can somebody tell me what's going on here?" I interrupted the conversation before it got any weirder.

And all at once, the happy smile melted off Jackie's face and was replaced by a condescending one.

"Oh we were just talking about fashion, you know…oh wait, " she spared me a pitying look as she gave me a head-to-toe once over. "Then again, maybe not. It's a concept not all people can actually understand."

An audible groan came from Billy's direction. So much for the evil-twin theory.

There's nothing wrong with my outfit. At least I don't think so. I was wearing a chocolate brown top under a pink bolero jacket, a long tan skirt and black Mary-Janes. So what if' I'm plain as they come? I like to be practical.

"Jackie, you _mind_?"

Surprised, I glanced up to see Freddy shoot Jackie a dirty look.

"What? I wasn't doing anything," said Jackie in an innocent voice that would've fooled the gullible.

"Shall we order then? I don't know about you young ones, but I am starving," Nana said, breaking up the impending argument. She twisted around in her seat and raised a pudgy hand in the air, bangles jingling merrily. "Waitress, over here please!"

A few seconds later, a girl in the characteristic red-and-white uniform of Henrico's came to our table, notepad and pencil at the ready. "Good afternoon-my-name-is-Olivia-and-I'll-be-your-waitress-this-afternoon-how-may-I-help-you?"

Yep you guessed right. That voice belonged to no one else except for Olivia Warren.

Eyes wide as saucer plates, Freddy sank lower in his seat. "Hide me!" he said in a hurried whisper, maneuvering around in his chair so that he was hiding behind me.

Olivia's hawk-like eyes caught his sudden movement. Her gaze moved towards us and locked on the blond and strangely kempt head that was peeking from behind my shoulder.

"Hello Freddy," she said blandly, and I felt Freddy's head hit my shoulder as he whispered 'Damn' under his breath. At that moment, I didn't know whether to laugh or faint. She actually recognized Freddy in spite of the clothes? Unbelievable. (Guess that's why she makes a good photographer; she's got a sharp eye.) "Hello Summer, Billy," she added.

The three of us mumbled our greetings, and Freddy asked bluntly what she was doing here. (Turns out this was just another of her after-school jobs.) Nana, Billy and Jackie then placed their orders (Caesar salad and water for Nana, Fettucini Alfredo and red iced tea for Jackie and a small vegetarian pizza and light Coke for Billy) while I perused the menu with pursed lips.

As Olivia jotted the orders down on her notepad, I nudged Freddy with my shoulder. "Wanna share a pizza?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him meaningfully. He caught on and he draped an arm across the back of my chair. If we were to play games with Olivia, why not give her everything we've got? I, for one, do not do things halfway.

"Uhh yeah, one large pizza with everything on it. And two milkshakes, one strawberry and one chocolate," he added as an afterthought. Ooh, nice one. I didn't even have to tell him the flavor I wanted this time.

Olivia's expression didn't change in the least. "Would that be all?"

"For now yeah, thanks," I said, giving back the menu to her. She nodded dully before leaving us. Billy and Jackie immediately launched themselves in a conversation about…fashion I guess. I couldn't really follow. Olivia came back a few minutes later with our food, shooting glances at me and Freddy the entire time. Those glances, I noticed, seemed to be slightly dubious. I shrugged it off.

"How's your stay here so far Nana?" I asked politely, absently picking off the anchovies and pineapple chunks from my slice and putting them on Freddy's, while he picked out the green peppers and onions from his and put them on mine like we always did.

"It's been wonderful, thank you. Strangely enough, Wilfred here was a good host," she told me as she started on her salad. Then she turned to Freddy. "I'm quite surprised to find your apartment rather clean, Wilfred. From what I can remember, your room back in New York looks a helluva lot worse than Nagasaki after the bombing."

Freddy snickered and pointed a finger at me. "Her fault, I swear. The apartment, I mean, not the room."

"I thought as much. Eddie Guerrero would rise from the grave before you cleaned up your own mess," Nana laughed, and so did I, even though I had no idea who Eddie Guerrero was. "How's the paper coming along, Summer?"

"It's far from being finished, but the progress is good, I suppose."

"Well. I'm really glad you could join us today."

Just when I thought the conversation was going well enough, Jackie just had to speak up.

"Did you come here on your own accord, or did Billy here have to pry you away from…what's that place called again? The one where all those loser freaks hang out for fun?" she wondered out loud. "Oh yeah! The library, is it?"

She said the word 'library' as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. What irks me so is that she still had a ridiculously pleasant smile on her face even though that menacing glint in her eye is suggesting otherwise.

I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Oh, yes, that's geeky old me. I actually get _orgasmic_ when I'm surrounded by musty old textbooks," I chirped, mimicking her falsely sweet tone to mask the underlying sarcasm.

Freddy snorted into his pizza and Billy covered his mouth to hide a giggle. Nana was too busy picking out the croutons from her salad to notice us, though.

"Eww, you _are _a freak," Jackie wrinkled her nose and edged slightly away from me. I leaned back on my chair with a satisfied smile. Maybe I can get through this day after all. I wasn't going to let Jackie get to me. No way, no how. Freddy told me to ignore whatever she does or says, and that's what I'm going to do.

* * *

**_Freddy_**

Summer's eyebrow should get an award for most number of twitches in a minute.

I'd suppose it's a well-known fact by now that she only does that twitching thing when she's extremely ticked off…or when she's around me. Or both. But since Jackie is my female, and possibly worse counterpart, The Twitch (hey isn't that like a dance move?…no wait, that's the _twist_. Never mind.) has been on overdrive all throughout our lunch at Henrico's.

Oh yeah, Jackie was on a _roll. _Even my several years of bickering with Summer couldn't compare to the last half hour Jackie had subjected her to. Everything Summer said, no matter how small or trivial, she attacked. Like her nickname for example.

See, I called Summer 'Tink' once or twice, and of course, Jackie's bionic ears didn't fail to pick it up.

"_Why'd you keep calling her Tink?" Jackie asked, twirling her fork into her pasta. _

_Summer's jaw clenched. Everytime Jackie said something, it was always something insulting, and it always involved her. She promised herself that she won't listen to Jackie's put-downs but it was proving to be an extremely daunting task._

"_Is that like a bizarro nickname or something?" Jackie went on. 'Coz it isn't much better than Summer.""_

_Summer's hand fell on Freddy's thigh and squeezed his knee like she would a stressball. The blond boy turned to her, breaking off his conversation with Nana abruptly, and mouthed 'Ow.' Summer bit her lip and mouthed back an apology, but wouldn't remove her hand. _

_Freddy was all for under-the-table groping but this…this was just downright painful._

"_You remember my fifth grade substitute teacher, Mr. Schneebly?" Freddy began, trying to ignore Summer's continued clawing on his knee._

"_The one who got you interested in your funk music?" Nana asked._

"Punk_ music, Nana," Freddy corrected her. "Yeah that guy. He gave most of us nicknames and they kind of stuck. He called me Spazzy, Billy's Fancypants and Summer's Tinkerbell."_

"_Tinkerbell? Why? You don't _look_ like a fairy," Jackie sneered, jabbing her fork in Summer's direction, making the smaller girl grasp Freddy's kneecap harder. "Oh wait. I get it! It's because of her _height_ isn't it? I mean, what are you, four feet tall? At fifth grade you were probably half your height right now."_

_She laughed, and even Freddy couldn't suppress a chuckle. _

--

Okay, so I found that height crack a little funny. Summer's what, five foot five? I'm five twelve and Jackie's about an inch or two shorter than I am, so compared to us, she's a little on the short side.

And then she poked fun at Summer's taste in music. A _Coheed and Cambria _song played on Henrico's sound system, and is apparently one of Summer's favorite tunes. (Why she liked _Coheed and Cambria_ so much was beyond me. She just has a weird thing for emo bands, I don't get it.)

--

"_Shoot me if you must, but I love this song," Summer sighed dreamily, leaning back against Freddy as she sang along to the words of the song. _

"_You do? Jesus, Tink, he sings like catscratch on a blackboard!" Freddy said in disbelief as he unconsciously curled an arm around Summer's waist in a more comfy position. _

"_For someone who's supposed to have managed a rock band, you sure have lousy taste in music, Sunny," said Jackie acidly. "I mean, _Coheed and Cambria_? I know you're a dork, but can't you do any better than that?"_

'Ah, hell no,'_ Freddy thought, suppressing a pained groan as Summer's hand found his kneecap again._

_--_

The last memorable comment that Jackie made was about Summer's weight. And I've had enough experience by now to know that weight is a very sensitive subject among the opposite gender, and that included Summer.

--

_Jackie eyed Summer disapprovingly as the smaller girl and Freddy fought over a particularly cheesy slice of pizza. _

_Apparently, Summer had won the battle because she was now biting into the aforementioned slice and Freddy was huffing under his breath about the unfairness of it all. _

"_Loading up on the calories are we?" Jackie said. The pizza slice stopped midway between the tray and Summer's mouth._

"_Yeah, speaking to certain _blondes_ make me need the extra energy," said Summer, making a big show out of taking a bite out of the pizza slice. She was starting to lose her patience. "Like I'm sure pasta has any less fat," she added darkly._

"I _can afford the extra poundage. _You _on the other hand…well," she chose to chuckle derisively than to finish her sentence. _

_Summer's lip curled downwards. She wasn't fat, was she? She wasn't exactly model-thin, sure, but she wasn't fat either. _

"_Well excuse me for not shoving my finger down my throat every after meals," she said tritely. _

_Jackie remained unfazed. "You should try it though, you look like you need it."_

"_Okay, _ow_," Freddy said, as the pain on his knee became unbearable. Summer's going to poke holes into his leg if she keeps doing that. Freddy pried her fingers off his knee and laced them with his so she could continue her stress-balling on his palm. _

I'm keeping an eye on Jackie and Summer as I talked to Nana about wrestling, because even as we spoke, the two of them kept shooting death glares at each other. Right now, Summer had already let go of my hand and opted for the chocolate milkshake glass instead.

Which is why I'm very much grateful when Billy cleared his throat and cut off Jackie as she opened her mouth to speak again. The glass looked like it couldn't last much longer.

"Sum, I've got to go," Billy said, glancing at his silver watch.

"What? Why?" Jackie asked him, obviously not wanting Billy to go. When she wasn't pushing Summer's buttons, she was talking animatedly with Billy. The two of them seem to have hit it off well. I'm not really surprised though. Jackie always got along great with queers, especially when they shared her love of fashion.

"I have to meet my mother in the hotel in thirty minutes," he said. He turned to Summer and added "And you _know _how much she hates it when I'm late."

Summer nodded, knowing full well how strict Billy's mother was when it came to her son.

"OK, say hi to Mrs. Falduto for me," she said.

"It was nice meeting you, Grandma Helen," Billy said, shaking Nana's hand. He tried giving Nana money to pay for his share on the bill, but Nana just flat out refused and insisted that lunch is on her today.

"Wait, Billy, before you go, I want to show you this fabulous outfit I saw in _Mystique,_" Jackie said, pushing her chair back and standing up too. "Nana, I'll be right back, I promise."

"All right all right, but don't max out the credit card now," Nana reminded her. Jackie nodded eagerly and dragged Billy out with her. Billy barely had time to look back and wave goodbye.

I saw Summer sigh in relief once they were gone. "God, she's _horrible_," she groaned, running a hand through her hair, her head falling back on my shoulder.

I grinned victoriously. "I told you so."

She pulled back slightly to glare at me. "You've been dying to say that, haven't you?" she demanded accusingly.

"Got it in one," I responded happily, tugging lightly at a lock of her dark hair. There hardly was an opportunity where I could tell her _I told you so_ and frankly, it felt awesome.

"I'm so glad she's gone. For a while anyway," she said, finishing off her milkshake in one last noisy gulp. "Sorry 'bout your knee though. And your hand. Does it hurt much?"

I held up my left hand, which was slightly red and swollen from being gripped so hard. "What, you mean this little thing? Nah. Doesn't hurt. Does it look like it hurts?" I deadpanned.

"Geez, I _said_ I was sorry," Summer rolled her eyes.

When I looked back at Nana, she was beaming at both Summer and I as though thoroughly pleased.

"What?" I asked abruptly.

"I think I'm going to have to disagree with Jackie this time," Nana nodded, still smiling.

"_Huh_?" Honestly, Nana finds amusement in the weirdest situations. I gave her a bewildered look, grabbing my almost empty milkshake glass.

"Jackie used to say that you have horrible taste in women," Nana went on to explain upon seeing my perplexed expression. "But Summer here seems like a wonderful girl."

The milkshake I was drinking went down my windpipe instead of my esophagus, which promptly sent me into a fit of relentless coughing. Needless to say, I was stunned, if not scandalized, by her announcement. Summer whacked me repeatedly on the back to help me recover.

"What the _hell, _Nana!" I managed to say, but she wasn't listening.

Instead, she was digging into her bag, looking for God knows what. Finally, she pulled out something small and silver from it.

"I didn't know you could use a digital camera," I said, watching Nana press the tiny buttons on the contraption.

"Please Freddy, I may be sixty-three years old, but I'm not inept," Nana replied, holding up the camera, her eyes trained on the viewfinder. "Now come on, move closer so I can get a picture of the two of you."

Summer and I exchanged glances, but neither of us moved.

"Well what are you waiting for, go on now," Nana coaxed us.

"But _why_?"

"So I could show off my grandson to my friends in kickboxing class," Nana waved a hand impatiently. "Go on now, move before I get any older."

Sighing dejectedly, I put my arm around Summer once more and pulled her closer to me, vaguely noticing how perfectly she molded into the nook of my arm. This seemed to satisfy Nana though, because she was beaming happily again.

"Now smile, both of you," she said, raising the camera up to eye level again. I rolled my eyes but did as I was told anyway. Summer and I both grinned at the camera until we heard the shutter and saw the flash go off.

I blinked, trying to clear out the brightly colored dots that I was now seeing because of the bright flash.

"Now give Summer a kiss."

I couldn't see properly, but didn't that mean my hearing should've gotten better? Then why was I hearing things? "A _what?_"

"A kiss," Nana repeated casually, eyeing me over her glasses. "And I want a real one, not a wimpy kiss on the cheek, okay?"

Summer blanched at the same time as my jaw dropped open. The two of us gaped at Nana wordlessly for a few seconds. Living with Jackie must've turned my grandmother into a lunatic.

And then we both launched into protesting at the same time, chattering on about us not being a couple and that we were in public and shit. I don't think she heard anything we said at all, though.

"Oh yada, yada, yada, you young people talk way too much," Nana shook her head, cutting off our protests. "Go on now, Wilfred, give Summer a kiss."

"But _Nana_--"

"No buts," She interrupted again. "It's just a kiss Freddy, go on. Do it for your old Grandma, please?"

She was looking at me pleadingly until I sighed, defeated. Even when I was a little kid, I can never say no to Nana.

"Sorry 'bout this, Tink, but I think it's best if we play along," I whispered to Summer.

"This is _so _not in our agreement, Jones," she hissed back, eyes spitting fire.

"I know, Just…imagine I'm someone else or something. I'm telling you, Nana won't let up until she gets what she wants."

"Fine. But only because I like Nana so much," she whispered, a blush spreading rapidly across her cheeks.

"I'm waiting," Nana sang out.

Summer shifted in her seat so she could face me better, and I cupped a hand on her cheek to tilt her chin up. She was still blushing furiously when her eyes locked onto mine. I felt my own heartbeat race breathing grow shallow as I watched her lick her lips nervously, as though in slow motion. Jesus Christ, I can't breathe…

Closing my eyes, I leaned forward and pressed my lips gently onto hers.

…

You know how they usually describe first kisses as something magical, with all the fireworks and awesome shit? I used to think that that was just stupid crap that hopeless romantics made up, because truth be told, I've never felt that before. Until now, that is.

Everyone knows that this wasn't my first kiss (duh), and it's not hers either, but it may very well be, given how… _innocent _it felt. Not only on her part, but also mine. But I liked it, perhaps a bit too much. I'd really only meant to give her a quick peck just so Nana could get her picture and shut up. I don't know if it was just hormones or whatever but once my mouth made the slightest contact with Summer's, I wasn't able to keep myself from wanting to cover her mouth completely. So that's what I did.

My hand that cupped her cheek came to rest on her shoulder and I felt her relax against me with a muffled sigh as our lips brushed against each other gently, almost shyly. I tilted my head to one side so I could press my lips deeper onto hers. Her own hand came up to touch my elbow, where her fingers tugged at the sleeve of my shirt as though wanting to draw me closer.

I can hear Nana speaking in the background, but I couldn't make out (pun unintended, I swear) what she was saying. All I was aware of right then was the sweet mouth that was still moving against mine, and this ecstatic feeling in my chest that I got from knowing that that mouth belonged to Summer Hathaway. Just then I realized that I've wanted to do this since that afternoon when she helped me clean out my apartment. Never mind that we're in a public place; I just wanted to stay like this. Kissing Summer.

So this is what they meant by losing yourself in the moment.

* * *

_**Summer**_

If you told me at the beginning of the schoolyear that I'd be found kissing Freddy Jones _in a pizza place_ in front of his _grandmother_, I would've rammed your head with a shovel and called the nearest asylum immediately. I mean really. For one thing, I was _not _a fan of PDA. For another, we are talking about Wilfred Jones, my lifelong adversary. The thought would've ignited a huge sense of horror in me back then.

Now, not only was I kissing Freddy Jones in a pizza place in front of his grandmother, I was also actually enjoying it. I thought he'd only give me a short kiss and get it over with so I was more than surprised when the pressure of his mouth on mine increased.

And so I tried to take his advice and imagine that Zack was in his place, but I failed. All I could think of right then was Freddy, and how good it felt to be finally kissing him and be kissed by him.

I'd suppose this was why he was so popular with women, even though he can be a total asshole. He was an incredible kisser. But even though I can smell his scent and feel the familiar roughness of his hand on my neck, I couldn't help wondering whether it was really Freddy that I was kissing. I've seen him make out with all those other girls on more than one occasion and he always seemed so dreadfully fierce, almost carnal. This kiss though, was gentle, yes, but in its gentleness, it was fierce. Who knew he possessed that kind of tenderness? I certainly didn't, and I was silently glad to have discovered it.

His tongue pushed lightly against my lower lip, and my mouth parted with surprising ease. But before we could deepen the kiss further, a harsh voice rudely interrupted us.

"Did I miss anyth—Nana! Not this again!"

I pulled back abruptly, breaking off the kiss with the slightest hint of regret. Freddy looked puzzled for a moment before he realized what happened.

Jackie was back, standing there with one hand on her hip, and the other clutching two black shopping bags with the red calligraphic logo of _Mystique_. She was shaking her disbelievingly at Nana as she occupied her seat once more.

"You do this kiss-picture thingy to all my dates when they come to pick me up, and now you're doing it to Freddy? I can't believe you," Jackie admonished her grandmother.

"All I want is to have keepsakes of my grandchildren, is that such a crime?" Nana replied, unruffled. "Besides, they looked like they're enjoying themselves, so why stop them? I've been telling them that I already finished taking the photo, but neither of them seemed to have heard me."

Freddy turned an interesting shade of pink, making him resemble a schoolboy more than ever. Normally, I would've laughed in his face and taunted him for actually blushing. But I was feeling just as mortified as he was, if not more, so I kept silent and just toyed with the salt and pepper shakers to preoccupy myself.

"Wilfred, sweetheart, here's some money, get yourselves something nice for dessert," Nana handed a wad of bills to Freddy before she pushed back her chair, digital camera still at hand.

"Where are you going?"

"To _Kodak,_ of course," Nana shrugged."I want to have these lovely pictures printed."

And then she was gone, leaving us in awkward silence.

"Well?" Freddy spoke up, adjusting the neckline of his shirt, voice oddly strangled. "Anyone for dessert?"

"I am!" Jackie raised her hand enthusiastically, and immediately hailed Olivia over to order blueberry cheesecake slices for all of us. Ugh, finally, something I can look forward to. I _so_ need the endorphins from sugar right now.

But when Olivia came back to serve our dessert, she somehow stumbled forward, and the cheesecake slice she was supposed to give me fell on my lap.

"Oh crap!" I groaned, brushing the ruined cheesecake off my lap with my fingers. I knew I shouldn't have worn my favorite skirt today. Freddy handed me some napkins so I could clean myself up a little and Olivia apologized quickly, promising to return with a new slice.

"Aww, don't feel too bad, Sunny. The skirt is hideous anyway."

Jackie was smirking again. Why do I feel like she had something to do with it?

I narrowed my eyes at her, but chose to remain silent. I was already getting tired and annoyed of her bitching on me, and frankly, I didn't see why I should waste my energy by even acknowledging her presence. She'd eventually stop goading on me if I ignored her, wouldn't she?

And sure enough, Freddy engaged Jackie in a conversation, which I steered clear out of. I wanted to keep to myself for a while. That kiss had muddled up my brain for a reason that I didn't even want to comprehend. Oh God, if Zack ever found out about this, he would absolutely _freak._

Thank goodness no one I knew saw it. Well, I'm supposing Olivia saw the kiss because she had been watching us from wherever she was in the restaurant, but that's all right. She thinks Freddy's my boyfriend anyway.

"—this newly arrived drumkit in _Music 101_, and there was a guy who was trying it out. It sounded great, I thought you might like to check it out later," Jackie was telling Freddy. "You _are _still playing aren't you?"

"Yeah, sometimes, when I'm not doing anything else. I haven't played in a band for a while now, though," Freddy replied, looking down at the table, dragging his fork absently through his dessert. A certain hint of wistfulness in his voice made me remember once again just how much the band meant to him. "How 'bout you? You still play the piano?" he asked Jackie, lifting his gaze from the table.

Jackie took a bite of cheesecake and shrugged. "I play the baby grand at Nana's when I feel like it, but I'm not into it much anymore."

"You can play the piano?" I blurted out, suddenly coming out of my self-imposed silence.

Jackie raised an eyebrow at me. "Yes hun, it's called talent. Look it up."

Geez, will I _never_ learn to keep my mouth shut? It's just that piano had always been my favorite instrument, but I never learned how to play it. Katie suggested once that Lawrence could teach me, but I was already too old to learn. I read somewhere that pianists usually start their training while they were young, when their fingers are still pliant.

"Summer can play a little guitar, y'know," Freddy told Jackie. "Remember Zack Mooneyham? He kicks _ass_ at guitar, and he taught her the basics. She sounds pretty good, actually."

Jackie frowned, and clucked her tongue, as though trying to remember something. "Zack…that goofy looking kid you used to hang out with?"

"I wouldn't say goofy-looking, but yeah, I hung out with him a lot," Freddy said, chuckling lightly.

Jackie shuddered visibly. "Honestly Freddy, I don't know how you could talk to that guy. Isn't the dude, like, autistic or something?"

I bit my lip, and hoped I wouldn't say anything stupid. I looked down on my lap and began to shred several pieces of tissue paper.

"Huh? No. Why would you think that?" I heard Freddy say.

"The boy hardly even _talked _remember?" Jackie replied snidely. "I see him during Family Days at Horace Green when I was still, you know, living with the folks. He's _so _weird!—"

The tissue paper was torn in halves.

"--He's always moping alone in a corner—" The halves became fourths.

"--I was half afraid that he'd start talking to the walls or something--"

Hands trembling slightly, I crushed the tissue pieces into my hand.

"He's not like that," I said softly, but loud enough for her to hear me.

Jackie suddenly stopped talking, looking at me with what seemed like genuine surprised.

I didn't care. I could handle her talking shit about me, but using Zack to get through to me was too much. I muttered an excuse to go to the ladies' room and pushed back my chair to stand up, the shredded tissue pieces falling off my lap.

I've had enough.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

Summer stormed off towards the ladies' room, gaining pace as she went. A mess of tattered pieces of tissue paper was left scattered on the floor next to her chair.

"Goddamnit Jackie, I told you to cut it out!" I said angrily, glaring at my sister in almost-rage.

"What the hell did I do?" Jackie demanded, looking bewildered. "Is it _my_ fault your girlfriend's off her rocker?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" I shot back, the statement leaving an almost bitter taste on my tongue. "Zack, that dude you were dissing just now, _he's _her boyfriend."

Jackie's eyes grew wide as the realization hit her. "Oh," she said. "_Oh._"

"Yeah. _Oh_," I echoed sarcastically. "Now look what you did."

"But…I thought she was _your _girlfriend," Jackie said slowly, her brow furrowing as she leaned forward on the table on her elbows.

_Now_ I get it.

"Oh so _that's_ why you were treating her like shit? I never said she was my girlfriend!"

"And you never said she wasn't either, what the hell was I supposed to _think_?" Jackie snapped. "I mean…the way you were treating her, and how you looked at her…and…I don't know. It's just…" she paused, sighing in a way that I can only describe as morose.

"Yeah well, what are you so bummed about, then?" I raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought you'd be glad that she's not my girlfriend, since you hate her so much."

Jackie laughed softly. "Au contraire, little brother," she said, giving me serene smile. Ooh. Creepy. "I think she's absolutely _perfect_ for you."

Was I _missing_ something? Didn't she just spend the better part of lunch _bitching_ on Summer?

"You have _got _to be kidding me."

"I'm serious, I think she's perfect for you, Freddy," Jackie insisted. "I've never seen you look happier with…anyone, now that I think about it. And the look on your face when you look at her…It's kind of like the way you look during Christmas mornings when we were kids. You know…when we were still a real family, and mom and dad used to spend the holidays with us?" Jackie gave me a meaningful look, and for a moment there, I saw a glimpse of a younger, more vulnerable version of my elder sister. I remained silent, digesting her words very slowly. Was Jackie telling the truth? Did I really act like that?

"And then that kiss," she continued. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone _smile_ during a kiss." She gave a dramatic sigh. "Forgive me but I really don't understand how you could have dated all those trashy women before and lose a girl like that to your best friend."

I laughed mirthlessly, toying with the empty pizza plate so I didn't have to look at Jackie. "I'm an idiot remember? I don't deserve girls like her." I paused, faintly surprised by my own honesty.

"Oh shut up Freddy, you know that's not true," Jackie snapped. "You deserve girls like her as much as anyone. You always like to act like such a bad guy, but face it bud. You're a good kid."

There was a pause, and then Jackie frowned. "Okay all this Dr. Phil shit is really _weird_," she muttered, sounding so disgusted with herself that I had to chuckle. Jackie and I haven't had a touchy-feely talk like this since…never.

"I'd better go talk to Summer," Jackie sighed, standing up so suddenly that she almost crashed into Olivia who'd just come back with Summer's blueberry cheesecake. Jackie just sent a condescending glare at Olivia before cantering toward the restrooms.

Olivia set down the dessert plate in front of me. "Girl trouble?" she asked.

"No offense, Olivia, but buzz off. I'm not in the mood," I said, stabbing a fork into the cheesecake and shoving a bite into my mouth. Olivia shrugged and walked away, leaving me alone with my jumbled thoughts.

I have a _lot _to think about, don't I? Fuck it.

* * *

_**Summer**_

Muttering to myself, I grabbed several handfuls of tissue paper from the carton by the white marble sink. I turned on the faucet and moistened the tissue with soap and water. I pictured Jackie's face on the bluish-violet stain on my skirt and began to scrub at the spot with savage force. You have no idea how much willpower I used to stop myself from making a scene inside Henrico's. I swear to God, if we weren't in a public place, I would've given Jackie a huge chunk of my mind.

'_Freddy's right,' _I thought to myself, pausing briefly from scrubbing to look at my distraught reflection on the gold-framed mirror. _'I should've stayed home.'_

OK, now I _know _things are bad when I start to think that Freddy's right.

The sound of the door creaking open made me glance up, and saw Jackie enter the bathroom.

"Summer," she asked, sounding hesitant. My jaw clenched and my scrubbing grew more vigorous at the sound of her voice. What was there to be gained by talking to her anyway? I've tried to get along with her, and failed, so why bother?

She slowly approached me by the sink and touched my arm to get my attention. "Summer, listen to me," she tried again when I didn't respond.

I pounded my fists onto the marble once and whirled around to face her, throwing her hand of my arm as I did so.

"Listen to _you_? Why the hell should I?" I hissed, my eyes narrowing into angry slits. "You've already made perfectly clear how _tacky_ my clothes are, what a _dork_ I am, and how _pathetic_ my taste in music is." The words came one after another relentlessly, my clenched fists shaking with uncontrolled rage. Jackie stepped back, dumbfounded by my sudden outburst, which only helped fuel my anger. "You already dissed my cooking, my name, my appearance and basically my whole_ fucking _personality. Did you leave anything out? Is _that_ why you're here?"

I was out of breath when I finished my rant, my shoulders and chest heaving up and down from exertion. Two chattering teenage girls who walked in the bathroom took one look at my outraged state and fell silent, before deciding to scurry back out.

Jackie stood there in stunned silence for a second before finally finding her voice. "Wait, you don't understand--"

"Oh so now I'm _stupid_, am I?" I growled. Wow. I was angrier than I thought. "First I'm a nerd, now I'm an _idiot_? How in the _hell_ do I manage that?" I laughed mirthlessly, just letting out all the frustration I've felt since I met Jacqueline Eliza Jones. "But that's all right, Jackie. Diss me all you want, I really don't give a flying _fuck_. I already know how lame I am, _you_ made sure of that. But do _not _diss the people I care about because that's just not fair!"

"Sunny—"

"And that's another goddamned thing! My name is SUMMER! Not Sunny, Sum-_mer_! Say it with me now, it's not that _fucking_ hard!"

A nerve in Jackie's temple twitched and suddenly she was holding me tightly by the arms, fingers digging painfully into my flesh.

"I'll call you whatever the _hell _I like, so shut up and listen to me!" she yelled, glaring down at me as she shook me slightly. I was a bit shocked at her sudden use of force, but I raised my chin at her defiantly, refusing to be intimidated.

To my surprise, her gaze softened and her grip on my arms loosened up the slightest bit. "Look. All I came here for is to apologize, all right?"

"_What_?"

"I wanted to apologize," she repeated, more gently this time. "And explain, actually. Are you ready to listen now?"

Even though I wasn't sure if listening to her was a good idea, I slowly nodded anyway. She released her hold on me.

"Here's the deal," she began, walking back towards the sinks and sat herself on the counter. "The reason I treated you the way I did, is because I assumed you were Freddy's girlfriend."

She paused. All I could do then was stare at her, not enlightened in the least. "Okay, color me confused."

Jackie rolled her eyes before she continued. "I don't know if Freddy told you this, but we'd always been really close, even after I stopped living with them. We saw each other a few times each year. I haven't seen him since he left New York though. He's the only one in our family that I still considered as actual family. God, I love that kid, but he's really kind of a moron sometimes."

I had to laugh at that. "Don't I know it. But what does this have to do with…with anything?"

"Getting there, don't rush me," she snapped, but then she bit her lip when she realized what she said. "Sorry, I tend to do that," she apologized sheepishly. "Anyway. Freddy's dated a lot of women without personalities before, and I'm just _so tired_ of meeting airheads. So I bitched on you like that to see how tough you could be, how much you can take, you know? I wanted to see if you were a keeper."

I studied Jackie's features, to see if she was just messing with my head again. Unable to see even a trace of insincerity, and I decided to believe her.

"But Jackie, see, I'm not his girlfriend," I explained, absently tracing a crack on the countertop with my fingers.

"I know, he just told me. Which is too bad really," she said, sounding extremely disappointed as she dismounted from the counter and turned towards the faucet to wash her hands. "You passed my test with flying colors."

"I _did?_" I raised an eyebrow at her. I walked out on them and chickened out didn't I? How could I have possibly passed her test?

"Yeah you did. I mean, if you could take that much bullshit from me, hell you could take on Freddy any day," Jackie announced, gesturing mildly at the air. "Not to brag or anything, but I _am _the master."

I chuckled. "So I've heard."

"Seriously though, I really thought you were his girlfriend," Jackie told me, twisting the tap closed. "I've met some of his flavor-of-the-month girls before, and hell, I've never seen him look at them the way he looked at you."

What on earth…the way he looked at _me_?

"That might be because he's never looked at them like they're flies just waiting to be de-winged," I said with a light stutter, trying to keep my voice light.

"Summer, I'm serious. You guys just looked so…at home with each other, you know? Like you belong together. And the fact that he talked to me about taking it easy on you? That's saying a lot. Believe me, I've done this bitch test thing on his girls that I met before. I've reduced his bimbos to tears and he just found it _amusing_," Jackie rolled her eyes at the memory. "He must care for you a great deal."

I bit my lip, trying to absorb everything Jackie just told me.

"I…I don't know what to say, actually," I stammered meekly. It was all too much for my brain, and my heart, to handle all at the same time.

"You don't have to say anything," Jackie smiled at me, the first real smile she gave me since we met yesterday. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for doing all those atrocious things to you. Just looking out for my idiot brother."

"That's OK," I smiled back at her. "I forgive you."

"And really, I don't think you're such a fashion disaster, just a little plain. I could give you some fashion tips though, if you'd like. Or you could ask your friend, Billy. The boy knows his stuff," she said all this in one quick breath.

Okay, at least we know she's still Fashion Maven Jackie.

"I think we should go back now, Nana and Freddy are probably waiting for us," Jackie told me. She turned on her heel and made her way towards the door.

But before she stepped out, she turned to face me again. "Oh yeah, one more thing," she said. "I swear, I didn't mean to diss your guy Zack. I had no idea he was your boyfriend and I _really_ did think he was weird back then."

I laughed. "That's all right, he gets that a lot."

We walked out of the ladies' room arm in arm, with me feeling so much better than I have all day.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

I swear to God, I'll never be able to understand women. One minute they're ready to scratch each other's eyes out, the next minute they're trying on millions of outfits and making you suffer and carry their things for them as they went shopping like they were friends since the beginning of time.

Yes I'm talking about my sister and Summer.

Nana came back a little while after Jackie followed Summer into the restroom, much to my relief. I couldn't stay alone with my thoughts any longer; it's driving me nuts. Nana and I talked for a bit about mundane things, until Jackie and Summer returned. What was weird about that is that they went back to the table, arm and arm and giggling like old friends.

Nana was so happy to see them getting along that she invited them both on yet _another_ shopping spree. For someone so old, Nana sure had a lot of energy. I was already getting tired and grumpy, but she and the girls looked like they were just having a stroll in the park.

But I guess it's a good thing that they're having too much fun to notice me. I pretty much kept to myself, something I've never done in my entire life. I just couldn't help thinking of what Jackie told me earlier. I can't stop thinking about that kiss.

I can't stop looking at Summer all day either. I just watched her (discreetly, I hoped) as she and Jackie browsed through racks and racks of clothing, tried on several pairs of shoes and gushed over this fairy necklace they saw in the jewelry store.

What if Jackie was right? What if Summer and Zack weren't together? Would I have risked becoming emotionally involved with her, and break my self-imposed no-strings-attached policy? I never really had the need, nor saw the point, in being emotionally involved with anyone. But now, watching Summer laugh at something Jackie said as they loaded their things into Nana's Jeep, I wasn't so sure anymore.

"Wilfred, less ogling more working," Nana chided as she passed me on her way to the Jeep. Right now we were already back in front of my apartment building, and we were helping Nana load their things into their car. She and Jackie were leaving tonight. I rolled my eyes and went back to work. We finished loading not long after.

"Bye Nana," I said, enveloping my grandma in a big bear hug.

Nana pulled back, and smoothed out my vest again. Hah, knock yourself out Nana, this is the last time you're seeing this vest. I'm thinking Pyromaniac Freddy has a little plan for this vest, and the rest of this blasted outfit. "Goodbye, Wilfred. Take care of yourself, all right? And don't wear those jeans--"

I shook my head with a laugh. "With the holes, I _know, _Nana."

She chuckled good-naturedly before swiveling her neck to find my sister. "Jackie! Let's go, we're losing daylight!" she yelled over her shoulder at Jackie, who was exchanging phone numbers with Summer.

"What're you complaining about_, I'm_ driving, remember?" Jackie called back as she and Summer approached us. Jackie went up to me, leaving Nana and Summer to say their goodbyes.

"Well, guess I'll see you 'round," she said, punching me playfully on the arm. "Don't get into too much trouble, 'ayt? And take care of Sunny too."

I rolled my eyes. "Didn't she tell you to stop calling her that?"

"Nah, we're cool," Jackie said, glancing over her shoulder to give Summer a wink. Then she threw her arms around me in a brief hug. "Buh-bye schnuckums. Call me, OK?"

"I will," I chuckled, returning her hug. "You guys take care."

"Oh Freddy, before I forget," Nana said, reaching into her jacket's pocket and pulling out a small envelope. She handed it to me before finally getting into the passenger seat as Jackie revved up the engine.

Summer and I stood silently in the driveway, waving at Nana and Jackie as we waited for them to disappear around the block.

"So you like my sister now, huh?" I said, breaking the silence. She looked at me with an expression of mild confusion and surprise.

"Oh that," she laughed softly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "We…had an understanding,"

Like I said, I'll _never_ understand women.

We fell into a comfortable silence again, with Summer standing about a foot away from me, hands in her pockets and deep in thought. I quietly the envelope Nana gave me tore open, so as not to disturb her.

I tipped it over and out fell two wallet-sized prints of the pictures from Henrico's that Nana took.

Holding it between my fingers, I studied the photos wordlessly. The first one had us sitting side-by-side with my arm around her, our heads tilted towards each other and we were grinning at the camera. I can't help breaking into a grin right then. The photo bore no evidence that we had been forced to have our picture taken together. Still smiling, I set aside the first one and went to see the next.

The second photo, on the other hand, made my stomach churn, though not necessarily in an unpleasant manner. It was the photo of us kissing.

I guess Jackie was right. I _was _smiling in that kiss. It was a tiny smile; you could hardly make out the upward curl of the side of my mouth, but it was there. However, there was an important detail that Jackie had failed to mention.

I don't know if I'm just imagining it, but in the photo, it seemed that Summer was smiling too.

And just like the first photo, it didn't look like the force behind that kiss was faked either.

"Hey what's this?" she said, coming up beside me and snatching away the photos before I could object. I watched her reaction carefully, as her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed.

"So uhh…we look great together, don't we?" I said, laughing hollowly at my lame joke.

She gave a weak laugh too, giving the photos back to me. "Yeah, for a fake couple, we look pretty darn convincing."

"Do you want to keep them?" I held out the photos to her, my voice coming out softer than I'd planned.

She bit her lip, trying to decide. "Let's each keep one," she said. She then put one hand over her eyes and used the other to pick out the photo she would take home.

"Aw, gosh darn it, you took The Kiss. I'd really wanted that for myself too," I jibed, putting on a fake disappointed expression as I shoved the remaining photo inside my pocket. "How come you get to keep The Kiss, and I get The Perfect Preppy Couple?"

Summer snorted. "Perfect Preppy Couple? Speak for yourself Jones. What's up with the getup anyway? I couldn't decide which is shinier, your shoes or your hair."

"Hey! Nana blackmailed me into doing this, you know. And besides, she said I look nice."

"She's your grandmother Freddy. She's biased."

"So? It's still a compliment, from a chick."

"She's sixty-three years old!"

"Yeah well, she may be old, but she sure makes awesome pies," I shrugged, grinning. "Hey, I think she left the blueberry crumble in my kitchen. Wanna come up and help me eat it?" I asked, waggling my eyebrows comically at her until she broke out in laughter.

"Sure, I never got to eat my dessert at Henrico's anyway," she said. Then she gave me an accusing look. "You wouldn't have anything to do with its disappearance, would you?"

"Stop asking stupid questions Hathaway, there is a pie upstairs with our names on it," I declared, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pushing her towards the building. We climbed up to my apartment, laughing and bickering the whole way.

* * *

_to be continued…_

**A/N:** Okay, I know it took me forever to put this up. The next chapters are probably going to take just as long, so if you want to check on my writing status and progress, you can visit my blog (the link is in my Author Profile).

How'd you like Preppy Freddy? Haha. Personally, I adore the preppy look on him and just couldn't resist putting it in. I've never seen anyone look better in uniform, except maybe for Draco Malfoy.

First kiss yeah! After so many near kisses and all that, they finally got around to it. I would've loved to write and all-out snogfest but…they're in a public place, and Freddy's grandma is watching, so yeah, the snogfest was pretty much out of the question. (hangs head) Hope y'all liked it though! Yes, they are pretty much slow-paced on the romance. But fear not, that won't be their last kiss!

Andrew Kohlberg, new character. Minor, but he'll play a significant role on the next two chapters.

Btw, that kissing scene is inspired by the movie _Addicted to Love_.

And yeah, no offense to Coheed and Cambria and fans…their lyrics are beautiful but the lead singer's voice is just so…yeesh. He has the kind of voice that just grates on your eardrums. But that's just my opinion.

**Next up: Chapter 12: Invites**

The people of WYLE get ready for Halloween. Summer receives an invitation to a Halloween Party from Andrew Kohlberg and there's unexpected news from Dewey Finn.

There you have it. Now..._**Review!**_


	12. Invites

**What You Least Expect  
****- endymion -**

_**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
**_Whoa. I've never had this much response for a chapter before. Cool!

**ilovestrawberries **– oh yes, I am very much attracted by the dark side. Teehee.  
**deviocity** – those pictures…that can be easily remedied. Fanart! A friend of mine promised to draw up some stuff for WYLE, but she hasn't gotten around to doing them yet. We have the same sucky schedule, y'see. Any other artists out there who'd like to help us out with this? If anybody would like to share fanart with us, contact me. Thanks!  
**i am not a chipmunk** – oh, Zack will see a picture all right. Just…not that one. Winks. And oh, update _Past Mistakes and Present Problems, _like, now.  
**Kisshu-luv** – that'll be explained on Chapter 13, which is actually one of my favorite chapters thus far.;p  
**Kevin'sQT** – hah! Another convert! Mission accomplished! (insert evil laughter here)  
**Annise** – one of the reasons why I take a bit long to update is because I do a bit of editing and what I call "detailing", a habit I've acquired because of _Nanners-77_ (waves to Deanna). I first write the events and the dialogue, just so I could put all the significant stuff in the chapter, and then add the "accessories" later. It's kind of time-consuming, but necessary. Yeah…thanks for reviewing!  
**Kara** – glad to know that I have your interest back!  
**Blueberry23 **– more of Nana and Jackie? That can be arranged!  
**Cupid's Bride** – my god, I've never seen a more dedicated reviewer. And a fellow Pinay too! (You _are _Pinay, aren't you?) Hah, sometimes I make my nationality evident in my writing, even without me noticing it. I don't mind though, proud to be Filipino, I guess! Yeah, _The Lies They Tell Us _is effing brilliant, but it's really heavy. I'm all for reading heavy, angsty stuff but I can't write angst for shit, probably because I'm too optimistic and _genki _of a person. About those one-shots, I've several ideas, but I'll probably write those after finishing WYLE. UST…hey. That's the college I go to! Thanks for all the reviews (yes, that includes the ones for _Unspoken, Au Revoir _and _Love Letter_). Oh yeah, I _have _read _Inspire Me, _and I'm still waiting for the update. Hurry up with the next chapter!  
**D.M. Ralte** – Congratulations on your new fic! (**Shameless plugging for everyone else: _Rock With Me, Roll With Me. _**Read it. Review it. Now. Well…okay, after you've read and reviewed my chapter.;p) Andrew Kohlberg…he's making another appearance in this chapter and on the next. But like I told you on my review, there's another idea we had in common. When you find out Dewey's news, you'll see what I'm talking about.  
**Sianne Kirsty** – yeah, I feel really bad for Zack sometimes, especially in situations like that, but one has to deal with stuff to make a story work. About the photo, read my comment to _i am not a chipmunk_. Everything will be laid out in the open in a later chap, probably the 16th or 17th. Thanks for reviewing…and for my first ever MySpace comment!

And a huge thanks to **lilyflowr33, ehmigawd rainbows, Nanners-77, ERclaireER, sweetcaroline,** **Calli,** **A Bloody Vampire** and **EpisodeSkywalker **for effectively giving me yet another fantastic ego boost. Forgive me for not giving individualized responses for everyone this time; my brain's a fried with caffeine at the moment...fucking exams…I haven't had enough sleep for a week…

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_**Note:** _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in Italics are flashbacks unless labeled otherwise.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 12:** **Invites****_Summer_**

It's amazing how quickly time passes by, isn't it?

I hardly even noticed just how long it's been since I left my New York home and started college until this morning, when stepped out of my apartment and went inside the campus.

When I left my apartment, I could best describe the day as murky. Everything looked gray. The clouds were low and dark; very little sunlight passed through them. So the reds and yellows of autumn leaves of the trees in the campus grounds came as a bit of a shock to me.

Up until now, as I sit on the stone bench in the field with Billy, I can't help watching the fiery palette of colored leaves that were falling from what we liked to call our "lunch tree". (We call this maple tree at the edge of the quadrangle that because that's where we always sit down for lunch.)

Both of us were studying for the preliminary exams that will be given on the last week of November. Yes we still have several weeks before it, but we both liked to be prepared. Freddy's supposed to be here too, but he was probably still standing in line at the library so he could return the books that we borrowed for our thesis draft. It's his way paying us back, since he wasn't able to help out much with the writing of the draft itself.

In spite of the cold autumn air, I felt myself blush at the thought of Freddy's name.

Embarrassingly enough, I've been thinking about that weekend with Jackie and Nana more than I ought to. Can you blame me though? Jackie had a quite way with words, really. Everything she said kept echoing in my mind just before I fall asleep at night.

And then I'll find myself thinking of _that _photo again. The tiny printout was now stashed inside my study table, well-hidden from plain sight. I couldn't have Billy or Zack seeing it, or I'd be _so _dead.

Surely, I wasn't smiling in the photo…was I?

"Hello? Summer? You in there?" Billy snapped his fingers in my face, dragging my thoughts back to the present.

"I—yeah," I nodded and turned a page of my notebook after what seemed like hours.

"Are you even really studying?" Billy chuckled. "You've been staring at that page for the last five minutes."

I flushed. "I guess I'm just a bit distracted, is all," I admitted, feeling slightly sheepish.

"Studying yet again?" said a male voice.

I looked up, expecting to see Freddy, and barely had time to hide my disappointment when I saw that it was only Andrew Kohlberg.

"Hi. Can I sit down?" he asked, flashing me a bright smile as he motioned at the space beside me.

"Sure," I said and removed my denim mailbag so he can sit down.

"Hey there stranger," Billy spoke up, giving Andrew a small wave. Andrew chuckled and humored him with a wave too. "Why aren't you out to lunch?"

"I was just about to, actually, then I saw the two of you here so I decided to stop by and say hi," Andrew replied. He leaned forward on his knees and looked up at me. "You look great today, by the way. New clothes?"

I blushed slightly at his compliment and murmured thanks. I _did_ look good, if I do say so myself. I waswearing a cream-colored knit sweater, a denim miniskirt and sleek black ankle boots that I'd gotten from that shopping trip with Jackie. And Billy also commented earlier that I seemed to be…what's that word he used?

Oh yeah. He said I seemed to be "blooming." You know, like a flower?

"Oh, before I forget," Andrew snapped his fingers with the air of someone who just remembered something. "Have either of you decided if you're going to the party next Saturday?"

Oh right. The party. I haven't given it much thought, really. Half the time this past week was spent studying for the exams, and the other half, I spent…well. Thinking about something else altogether. And I wasn't really much of a party girl.

"I want to, but I don't know if I'm going yet," I answered finally, fiddling with customized _Summer is a Punk Rocker _button (an old Christmas gift from Dewey) on my bag's strap.

Andrew looked terribly disappointed. "Really? Why not?" he asked. "It's going to be great, I promise. You guys should be there."

"Yeah Summer, why not?" Billy quirked an eyebrow at me. "I'm going."

"I haven't got a costume yet," I said. The last costume party I went to was the School of Rock Halloween gig when we were all high school freshmen, and I doubt if that old Tinkerbell costume would still fit me. I didn't have the time to think about a costume.

"Psh, a costume is easy, sweetie," Billy waved a hand dismissively before turning back to face Andrew. "Don't worry Andrew, we'll be there."

Andrew gave a wide grin that made his hazel eyes twinkle.

And then, someone was suddenly standing before us, casting his shadow on both Andrew and I.

"You'll be where?" said a highly irritated Freddy.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

Once I'd finished returning the books we borrowed, I left the library as fast as I could. I swear, I'm already getting hives from being surrounded by so much dusty old books. I couldn't wait to see Summer.

…

OK, that came out wrong, I swear.

I couldn't wait to _get to_Summer so I could get my _lunch_ from her. Does that sound better? More convincing?

Right, I didn't think so. But whatever.

Damn Jackie. She just _had _to go and muck up my brain didn't she? As if it weren't mucked up enough on it's own.

I've tried, time and again, to make sense of what I had been feeling for the pixie lately. I still don't know what that feeling is, but I've accepted that it was there. I mean really, what else can I do? I've done everything else I can do towring it out of my system, but it just wouldn't go away.

Its…how can I describe it? Faster heartbeats, queasy feeling in the stomach, reflexive glancing at her whenever she's around, wanting to be with her all the time… I don't know. It's kinda like the way I felt before our first ever Battle of the Bands. Anxious, excited, giddy, happy and scared all at the same time. Whatever it is, I'd suppose that it's becoming more and more evident in my actions, because even _Jackie_ noticed.

I even _dream_ of her sometimes. (Summer, not Jackie.) And I thought, okay, I've been spending a lot of time with her, so its okay if she gets in my dreams. But then, why don't I dream of Billy? I've been spending time with him too, aren't I? And why are these dreams of her becoming more and more frequent?

Damn. Thinking is _so _not my forte.

I walked down the hallway, the classrooms flashing past as I did so, and made my way to the exit. My lungs welcomed the fresh air that I breathed in as soon as I was outside. I took the familiar route towards our "lunch tree", and soon enough I saw two familiar figures sitting side by side on the stone bench. Billy and Summer.

But they weren't alone. A third _male f_igure was sitting, a little _too_ close, on Summer's other side. My eyes narrowed to slits and my fists clenched on my sides when I saw that it was Andrew Kohlberg.

I don't think Summer noticed this, but Kohlberg had been checking her out since he arrived here. He was a late enrollee, and our Stats professor assigned Summer to help him catch up. I wasn't happy with the arrangements, but what can I do. The prof is the man. I could stick it to him, but then I'd be risking expulsion, and my folks wouldn't be too happy. So I let Summer do her job. But even after that, Kohlberg wouldn't stop flirting with her, even when he knew that Summer was supposed to be my girlfriend. Summer, who had always been hopelessly naïve, never believed me when I told her so.

I'm pretty sure that's what he was doing now.

I increased my pace, only stopping when I was a few feet behind them. I'd come just in time to hear Billy say "Don't worry Andrew, we'll be there."

"You'll be where?" I asked loudly. All three heads turned in my direction.

Summer broke into a smile. "There you are, I've been waiting for you," she said, ignoring my question completely.

"Hey Jones," Kohlberg nodded at me in a manner of greeting. He didn't seem too happy to see me, though. Bah, the feeling's mutual, you fuck.

"You're in my seat," I spat, not bothering to acknowledge the friendly gesture. The sleazeball, sitting so close to the pixie while I'm away.

"Whoa, chill dude, I was leaving too, anyway," Andrew said, chuckling despite my hard expression. He dropped his gaze back to Summer. "I'll see you both at the party, then?"

"I guess so," Summer smiled at him.

"Cool. Catch ya later." He squeezed Summer's arm goodbye, and I fought an urge break his nose. What's with the touching, huh? He nodded at me again before he left. Finally.

"What's with you?" Summer asked when I took my seat beside her. "We were just talking you know."

"Yeah, talking my ass," I muttered crossly. "_You_ were talking, _he _was drooling all over your legs. Don't ever wear that skirt again."

I swear, I'll never let Jackie take Summer shopping again, ever. Sure, she looked extremely hot in them, but if these clothes would only send every other guy on a testosterone high, then never mind wearing them.

"That, Jones, was both disgusting and preposterous," Summer scoffed but tugged the skirt downwards anyway to cover more skin. "And since when do _you _say no to miniskirts anyway?"

"Since now," I replied curtly. Both Billy and Summer rolled their eyes in perfect sync with each other at my response. Summer then began to search through her mailbag. When her hand emerged, it was already clutching a brown paper bag that undoubtedly held today's lunch. "What did the doofus want anyway?" I asked, eyeing the paperbag hungrily.

"Don't call him that, what's the boy ever done to you?" Billy piped up.

"What did he want, _Summer_?" I repeated my question, making a face at Billy, who rolled his eyes back at me.

"He wanted to know if we can make it to the Halloween party his frat's hosting," Summer said, bringing out four sandwiches from the paper bag. She handed one to Billy, kept one for herself, and the last two were for me.

"And? What did you say?" I said. I tore at the wrapper, eager to see what she made this time. Oh hey, BLT, my favorite.

"I said I'm going," Summer shrugged, taking a bite out of her sandwich, while I choked on mine.

"You're going?" I said, vehemently coughing.

She nodded. "I wonder what I'm going as…It's a costume party, you see."

"You're actually _going_?"

"Is it just me, or are you exceptionally slow today?" she rolled her eyes and crossed her legs at the knees. "Yes, Jones, I'm going."

"Why, so Kohlberg can feel you up again? I don't think so. You're not going," I declared, and bit viciously into my sandwich. If anything, this conversation is increasing my appetite.

"All hail the mighty protector," Billy muttered under his breath.

"You can't tell me what to do," Summer frowned, her eyebrow twitching dangerously. Whoops, I'd forgotten that she hated being bossed around.

"Fine, then I'll go with you," I said, quickly switching gears to avoid argument.

"Forgive my intrusion, Spazzy McGee, but…you're not invited," Billy pointed out, smiling cheekily.

"So what? I am _supposed _to be her boyfriend, aren't I?" I shrugged.

"Aren't you taking that girlfriend thing a little too seriously?" Billy went on. "Should I need to remind you that she's not really your girlfriend?"

His eyebrows had risen the same way my temper had. His last five words had struck five different nerves all at the same time.

"Billy, don't," Summer spoke up, looking down at her lap.

"I already know that," I said through gritted teeth, as though I didn't hear Summer at all. "That's just it. Who knows what that idiot would try if he gets Summer alone, huh?"

"Would you two quit it? It's just a party, and we're all going," Summer said, looking fed up.

"If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were jealous," said Billy, determined to have the final word.

"Jealous. Ha, good one, Frilly," I snorted and gave a forced laugh. "But no, I'm not jealous. I just don't want to be blamed if that Kohlberg idiot tries anything with Summer."

Summer made a face at me before she finished off her sandwich and reopened her notebook to study. _Again._

I, on my part, settled for making paper airplanes with the brown bags to keep myself from watching her as the autumn wind played with her hair.

'_I'm not jealous,' _a stubborn voice in my head said. '_To be jealous, I'd have to have feelings for the pixie, which I don't. Not really.'_

Do I?

* * *

**_Summer_**

One week. I have one week before the damn party and I _still _don't have a costume.

So naturally, I did what any other girl in my shoes would do: I panicked. So Billy, good friend that he was, all but dragged me to _Psychedelic,_ a funky clothing and costume store ten minutes away from the university come that following Saturday. Freddy came with us as well. As of the moment, he's in the men's section, while Billy accompanied me to the women's section. (Billy said he already knew what he'd go as so he can spend his time helping me out.)

Which brings me to my current position on the floor of _Psychedelic, _surrounded by masses and masses of dresses and outfits that I'd never even consider wearing on a regular day.

I stared at the little (stress on the word _little_) black dress with a deep, scooping neckline that Billy was holding up with horror.

"No," I said with an air of finality. "There is no way I'm dressing up as Liza Minelli,"

Billy shot me a puzzled look. "Who said anything about Liza Minelli?" he asked, glancing at the dress. "Pair this black beauty with a pointed hat, fishnets and a broomstick, and you'll pass as an _extremely_ sexy witch."

I bit my lip, trying to reconsider the dress and failing. "I don't think I can pull it off, Billy."

Billy sighed, obviously frustrated. "Honey, we've looked at every single piece of clothing in this store except that horrendous Milkmaid costume, and you haven't found anything you liked. How are you supposed to find a costume if you don't even want to try anything?"

"I'm sorry…It's just…the clothes, the whole store isn't quite...me," I finished flatly. I picked up a green sequined top that looked like a handkerchief with strings and shuddered to prove my point. I won't even wear this thing inside my own bathroom.

"That's why it's called _dressing up,_" Billy replied, putting the black dress back, and started to browse through the racks again. "It's Halloween, you can be as sexy as you want, and nobody would give a damn."

"Freddy would," the words rolled off my tongue before I could stop myself.

"Since when do you _care_ what Freddy thinks?" he asked, distractedly checking out a retro –style dress.

"Since no—" I began, intending to say _now, _but caught myself. "Since never."

Billy put down the dress he was checking out to look at me, an eyebrow skeptically raised.

Unable to look him in the eye, I busied myself by folding up the discarded pieces of clothing beside me. "I just think that he and Zack have that in common, that's all," I amended.

"Right," Billy replied, sounding completely unconvinced.

"Speaking of which…" I said, steering the conversation away to a new topic. "Zack hasn't called all week…D'you think I should…I dunno, call him?"

Billy glanced in my direction once more. "He hasn't called? Again?" I nodded in affirmation. A look of understanding descended on Billy's features, and he readily dropped the horrid dress just so he could sit next to me and put his arm around my shoulders. Yup, Zack hasn't been calling me much. Oh no, don't get me wrong; we still talk on the phone. But it seems that lately, it's always me who calls him up, unlike before when he regularly called me on Saturdays. I wasn't worried in the least; just a bit weirded out.

"I'm sure he's just busy, Sum," Billy said soothingly, giving my shoulders a comforting squeeze. "I mean, we only have around a month left 'til Christmas break, and if their professors are anything like ours…" he shuddered. "Well, then we know he has his hands full."

I nodded again, giving Billy a grateful smile. "You're right. Maybe he's just busy."

"Hey, let me just browse through the Just In counter, and if I don't see anything promising, let's get out of here. I'm getting hives from being surrounded by all these tacky clothes." he told me.

"Okay."

He trotted away without further ado, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The clothes I tried on were already folded up neatly and sorted by color, so I really didn't have anything else to do.

I pulled out the phone from my purse and flipped it open. I didn't want to seem like the needy, demanding girlfriend, but…don't you think I should call Zack, just to see what's been up with him? I'm entitled to do that aren't I?

And maybe hearing his voice would help clear out…whatever unwarranted thoughts I'm having for a certain blond haired someone.

Dialing Zack's mobile number, I put the phone in my ear and waited for him to answer my call. I tapped my fingers against the tiled flooring, feeling inexplicably restless as the phone rang and rang. The tapping of my fingers only desisted when a click cut through the ninth ring, and I took to clutching the cloth of my gaucho pants.

"_The number you have dialed is either unattended, or out of coverage area. Please try again later," _said the automated message. I frowned. There must be a mistake; I've known Zack all my life and since he got his mobile phone, he never left it off, ever. I redialed the number, making sure I got all the digits correctly, but I got the same automated message.

I got up off the floor and sat on a metal bench nearby before searching for Zack's dorm room number in my Phone Book. I punched in the correct digits, my thumb slightly shaking from anxiety.

It rang once…twice…and then there was another click. Someone had picked up. I breathed out a sigh of relief and waited to hear Zack's voice.

"Hello?" croaked a sleepy voice.

But it wasn't Zack's. It was a female's…and rather familiar.

Something in my stomach twisted unpleasantly. The yellow overhead lights suddenly seemed too bright, the air-conditioning too cold. Losing my nerve, I flipped my phone closed and stared at it as though it had called me an extremely rude name. Too many unbidden thoughts flew in and out of my mind too dizzyingly fast until I started to become disconcerted. .

'_No. That's not possible…I just got the wrong number, that's all…right?'_

I took a deep steadying breath and tried to calm myself before I reopened my clamshell phone, and left my thumb poised to dial again. But before I could do anything, Freddy reappeared through the clothing racks, carrying a paper bag with him.

"Tink?" he said, his brow creasing with blatant worry once he caught sight of me. "You OK?"

I nodded, sliding on the bench to make room for him.

"Are you sure? You look really pale."

Touched by his concern, I forced myself to smile. "I'm fine."

I glanced at the phone on my palm one last time before I slipped it back inside my purse.

* * *

**_Freddy_**

'_This is precisely the reason why I never go on costume parties,' _I scowled hopelessly at the racks of clothing before me. I _don't_ like costume shopping. No, I don't like shopping, period. I've been here for over thirty minutes after I left Billy and Summer at the women's section, but I haven't made much progress. Two or three salesladies in their late teens had already come by, asking if I needed assistance (rather flirtatiously I might add) but they only served to annoy me more.

I shouldn't have told Summer I'm going with her to that stupid party. What the hellwas I _thinking_?

…

OK, never mind, don't answer that.

'_What I need--' _I thought, pulling out my mobile phone. _'--is professional help.'_

I scrolled down the phone book and pressed _Dial_ upon finding the desired number. Someone picked up a few rings later.

"Yo, Jackie," I said, promptly slumping down onto a metal bench, running a hand through my hair. "Can you talk?"

"Freddy?" said a startled voice on the other line. "Sure, I'm on break from work. What's up?"

Well. No sense in beating around the bush, right? "I need help."

"This isn't about Summer is it?"

I rolled my eyes. "You're never going to give up on that Summer-is-perfect-for-me crap, are you?"

"Damn straight, lil bro. Now, what's up with you?"

I gave her a quick recap of the past few days, including a brief (and rather rude, yet accurate) description of Andoofus Kohlberg, his apparent hots for Summer and the invitation to that lame Halloween Party.

"—and there is no way I'm leaving Summer alone in the same continent as that dork. So basically, I'm attending the freak's costume party, and I need suggestions," I wrapped up my story. "Any ideas?"

Jackie was quiet for a few seconds before she broke into giggles. "I've got an idea. It says that my ickle baby bro is getting jealous. Oh schnuckums, you're growing up _so_ fast." She sniffled for effect.

I scowled again, earning me a frightened glance from a kid who was checking out some slogan shirts in the next rack. "Jackie, _focus_," I commanded.

"Aww fine, you're no fun," she sighed. "Why didn't you ask Billy about this anyway?"

"Last time I let Billy decide on what I should wear, I ended up looking like a Bavarian fruitcake. So, no, I'm not making the same mistake again."

"All right, all right, let's see…" she began. She gave me a couple of suggestions on the phone, which I either approved or shot down while I simultaneously pulled out several items of clothing from hangers and shelves to see how it would look.

A few minutes later, I'd handed a credit card to the flirtatious redheaded clerk to pay for my costume and I was on my way back to the women's section. I found Summer alone on a bench, surrounded by really tiny pieces of cloth (or clothes, I can't be sure), looking deeply shaken. I asked her about it and she said she was all right, but before I could pursue the issue, Billy had already returned. He told Summer something about just going to find material, and he'd design her costume for her if she wanted. Summer agreed then, so now we're in _Threads, _a specialty store that soldfabric of all types, textures and colors.

Billy was sifting through the rolls of fabric, comparing one material from the other. Following close behind him was Summer, who was distractedly studying the materials too, her arms around herself. I, on my part, just chose to sit down on a stool in a corner of the cramped shop while I watched and waited for them to finish.

The disturbed look is now gone from Summer's face, but if you watch closely, you'd see that her eyes were telling a different story.

"What do you think of these two?" Billy asked Summer, showing her a roll of cloth made out of silky material in a soft shade of blue and another one that was sheer and glittery white.

Summer lifted her eyes off the tiled floor and considered the yard of material that Billy was holding up for her to see. She brightened up in an instant.

"They're beautiful, Billy," she breathed, taking the rolls of cloth from Billy for closer inspection. She then turned to look at me and asked, "What do you think?"

Personally, I thought the shade would look amazing on her. When she held the cloth against herself, her eyes lit up, and there were these little flecks of blue in them.

But that would make me sound either crazy or gay, so of course, all I said was "'S Ok, I guess."

"Be right back," said Billy, taking back the rolls of cloth from Summer before going off to find someone to measure the cloth for him.

Of course, that meant Summer and I were alone again. I remained seated on the stool and watched Summer, who was standing an arm's length away from me, run her fingers on the rolls of cloth. Huh. I wonder what's up with her.

"Tired?" I asked her, unable to help myself. She sighed, nodding meekly. I gestured at my lap, wordlessly asking her if she wanted to take a seat. She blushed fiercely and shook her head no. Choosing to ignore her response, I reached out, grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to sit on my lap.

She sat all stiff and straight-backed, obviously uncomfortable.

"Damn, Pixie, did you gain weight?" I cracked. She swatted at my shoulder in mock-anger. The tension was broken, and she didn't object when I circled my arms around her waist. She relaxed against me, and rested her head in the nook between my shoulder and neck. "What's up? You seem distracted."

"I told you, it's nothing, I'm just tired," she said, her breath warm against my neck. Heat crept up my neck when I suddenly noticed our closeness but I didn't want to pull back in the least. We stayed like that for several seconds. We were both silent, both lost in our own thoughts, but for that one brief moment I don't think anything else mattered but being in each other's company. There's a burning feeling in the pit of my stomach that felt awfully like guilt, but I tried my best to squash it.

As if to fuel that guilt further, Summer's mobile phone began to vibrate in her pocket. Quite abruptly, she freed herself from my embrace, muttering to herself a statement that sounded like _'What on earth am I doing.'_ My arms lay limply down my sides, useless, lonely and disappointed.

Just as she pulled out her phone, I felt my own phone vibrate in my pocket too. Huh. Am I seeing correctly? My phone's LCD says that I received a text message from Gordon Infante. Haven't heard from the dude in like half a year.

"'Dudes and dudettes, check out the SoR website. I just uploaded a video for Dewey; he says it's a really important announcement,'" I read the message out loud.

Summer turned to me, eyebrows raised.

"He sent you the same message?" she asked. Before I could reply, Billy came hurrying back, a brown paper parcel (the material for Summer's costume, I guess) tucked under his arm.

"Hey, guys, I just got a text message from Gordon," he said breathlessly, cheeks slightly flushed.

"Yeah, so did we," I affirmed. "Must be one heck of an announcement, if Gordon sent a message to us all at the same time."

"Guess we should head on home," Summer said. "Come on, let's all go see what this is about."

With that, we left the shop, got in the car and drove off to Summer and Billy's apartment.

* * *

**_Summer_**

"What do you guys think this is about?" I asked Billy and Freddy, who were seated on my either side, as I typed in on my laptop. We had dragged the loveseat in my room until it was facing the laptop and squeezed ourselves in it.

"I dunno, but I want to find out," Freddy replied. "We haven't heard from Dewey for so long."

The main page loaded in an instant, automatically showing the latest updates, the signature _School of Rock _song playing in the background. There's one update with the headline "Powerhouse Performance by Tomika Hassan" showing several photos of Tomika all garbed up for their theater group's version of _Chicago_, another with the headline "Brace-face no more – Alicia Scores First Record Deal" showing Alicia (sans the metal mouth) singing in a recording studio. The last one was, surprisingly, about Michelle. It had the headline "Cover Girl", showing a scan of a local teen magazine with Michelle on its front cover. I felt a sudden pang of emotion when I realized just how long it has been since stopped being a band.

Freddy let out a suppressed sigh beside me. I glanced at him, and when our gazes met, I knew that he was feeling the same bittersweet nostalgia I was currently feeling. I gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand briefly with my left hand while I navigated around the website with my right.

"Here we go," I murmured when the video finished downloading. Clicking on Play, I leaned back and waited for the video to start rolling. I felt Freddy drape his hand around my shoulders, and I used it to pillow my neck. I vaguely heard Billy cough discreetly beside me when the black background of the video faded in until we saw Dewey's familiar form onscreen.

He was still pretty much the same, except that he's clean-shaven now, his beer-belly had deflated somewhat and that he was sporting a new haircut.

"Same old Dewey huh?" I said, chuckling earnestly.

"Yeah, but a little less tacky," Billy remarked, cocking an eyebrow. Both Freddy and I laughed softly so we could hear the video.

"_Is it on?"_ asked Dewey on-cam, looking perplexed at who I assumed was the cameraman.

"_Yes, Dew. Cam's rolling, go on,"_ said a sedate voice that I recognized as Ned Schneebly's.

"_I can start now?"_

"Yes."

I giggled. Ned sounded exasperated, as though they've already tried to make the video a hundred times over.

"_OK,"_ Dewey grinned, and his eyes went from Ned to the camera. His huge smile told me that he was indeed very excited. _"Dudes! What's going down! Hope you're all still rockin'. I'm cool back here, the workshop's doing great and I just got a new house actually. Ned, that's him shooting the video – Ned say hi to the kids—"_

"_Hey, people,"_ Ned turned the camera briefly to himself and gave us a wave before he turned it back to Dewey.

_"Anyways, I called Gordon to get this thing on the net and—oh did you guys see that video clip of Tomika's? Awesome show, you should've--"_

_"Dew!" _interrupted Ned. _"The announcement?" _

"_Oh…right. OK. Anyhoo…Remember Joey Ross's mom, Carrie?—" _

Joseph Ross is one of Dewey's advanced rhythm guitar students in the School of Rock After-School Program. His mother, Carrie, had already been a divorcee for almost three years when she decided to enter Joey in the Program. I've only met Carrie a couple of times, but I thought she was cool. Very pretty, for someone her age. She was really nice, and had a great sense of humor. But it was their common love for classic rock that hooked her up with Dewey.

"_Ya'll know that she's been my girlfriend for like two years now, and last week…Guess what. I popped the question! Yeah dudes, I'm getting married, and you're all invited!" _

"Oh. My. God." An enormous grin spread on my face. "Did he say he's getting _married?_"

"I knew it!" Billy crowed enthusiastically.

"Man, talk about awesome news!" Freddy whooped, pumping a fist in the air. "That's Dewey for you, eh? Always full of surprises."

"_OK, OK, before you all get excited, I want to say that I need some help from you people_." Dewey continued, as though he had predicted how we would react.

"_Billy, I hope it'd be all right if I ask you to design the bridesmaid's gowns," _Dewey said.

"Whatever happened to _'it's just not the right style'_?" Freddy asked, quoting Dewey's initial reaction when he saw Billy's first-ever designs.

I wasn't surprised, though. When we graduated from Elementary, Billy's designs went from flamboyant and bordering on ridiculous to classy and unique, with just the right touch of urban chic. I'm not much of a fashion junkie, but I thought his designs were absolutely beautiful. I wouldn't have let him design my Halloween costume for me if I didn't trust his talent.

"_Tomika, Marta and Alicia, I want you guys to sing in the ceremony. I want to hear angels sing in that wedding. Hope that's cool with you. Zack and Freddy, dudes, you have got to plan the song list for the reception. Carrie's a sucker for classic rock too, so there won't be much of a problem."_

"Pfft. As if he'd let anyone stop him from playing the music he liked in his own wedding," Freddy commented. Billy reached over behind me and smacked him in the head to shut him up.

"_I want School of Rock to play as a band again at my wedding, you guys freakin' changed my life man." _

Billy and I both went _aww _and Freddy faked gagging at our predictable, girly reactions.

"_And Tinkerbell, the best band manager ever--"_

I perked up on my seat, eager to hear my assignment, and happy to hear my old nickname from the band's frontman. I've been so used to having Dewey tell me what the band needed and I'd do it pronto, even though I whine about it sometimes. I've missed this, honestly. I've missed this a lot.

"_I know you'd be real busy with college and all, so I won't assign you as the overall wedding planner. But I do want you to contact the rest of School of Rock, to make sure they got the news, and ask them if the arrangements are dandy with them. I'll be holding a Christmas housewarming party in my brand new pad this December, and I'll give out the invitations to all of you then. Think of it as a School of Rock reunion too, if you'd like. Hope y'all can make it."_

"If he thinks any of us would miss the reunion, or the wedding, for anything, he's out of his mind,"Freddy declared.

"Hear, hear," agreed Billy.

"_Sooo…this vid's already long enough. If any of you have any questions, call me at the workshop 'ayt? Cool. Later dudes!"_

_"And cut!"_

I clicked the video's window closed, and leaned forward to grab my Palm Pilot that was sitting on my study desk.

"What are you doing?" Freddy asked, looking over my shoulder.

"You heard Dewey, we all have work to do," I shrugged, tapping the Palm's stylus on the appropriate buttons until I got to my _Notes_ and jotted down all my assignment details.

"What do you know, the band manager lives," Freddy laughed. He then got up on his feet and stretched. "I'm getting a snack. You did stock up on my Cheerios didn't you?"

"Cupboard above the sink," I nodded, bringing out my phone and dialing the first number on my list, which was Eleni Afflerbach's. Freddy padded out of the room, whistling a merry tune as he went.

"Put the phone down Sum, I need to measure you for your costume," Billy said, nudging me with his shoulder.

"What, now? But I have to call everyone, " I protested. Billy paid me no mind and stole the Palm Pilot from my grasp, switching it off before he laid it back down on my desk.

"Call them later. For now, the Halloween costume is the priority since it's already _this coming Saturday_," he said, giving me a pointed look and flittered out, beckoning me to follow him into his room where his sewing materials were.

I followed him to his room, watching the wallpaper change from the baby pink of my room, to the floral printed one in the living room, to the pale yellow in his. He stood before his workdesk, which was a round table set in the middle of the room where several different fabrics sat waiting to become one of his masterpieces.

"Well don't just stand there," he said, and motioned for me to approach him. I obliged and walked up to him, running my fingers on the blue-colored soft peach skins and white sparkling venus that he had picked out in the store.

I heard him cluck his tongue. "Lift your arms," he instructed. I obeyed. He lifted the measuring tape off the table and looped it around my chest just above the bustline. He then proceeded to measure the length of my torso, my arms and…I think I've lost track. I just let him do his work and listened to him hum as he did so. I stared off into space. With nothing else to preoccupy me, the anxiety I'd felt in Psychedelic came flooding back.

"Is there something bothering you, Sum?" he asked suddenly, waking me up from a daze. I guess he noticed it too.

"Huh?"

Billy quirked an eyebrow at me. "The only time when you're quiet is when you're thinking about something. So? Spill it hun."

"Can I put my arms down first?" I asked. Both my arms were still stretched out on my sides like I was going to be crucified, and they're starting to hurt.

"Oh, geez, sure go ahead," Billy said, sheepishly rolling up the measuring tape again. I let my arms drop and let the blood flow back to my fingertips before I sat down on Billy's bed.

I took a deep breath and began. "Okay, see, this morning after you--"

"There you are," Freddy said, who suddenly burst through Billy's door, a bowl of Easy Mac and Cheese in his hands. I raised an eyebrow quizzically at him. "I changed my mind about the Cheerios. You want some?"

"Do you _mind_? We're talking about something important here," Billy said haughtily at Freddy, who had taken his seat beside me.

"Go ahead," Freddy said through a mouthful of macaroni. "You don't mind me listening, do you Tink?"

I shook my head no and I then relayed the story to them, about Zack's silence the past few weeks, about me calling him and not being able to reach him this morning, about calling his dorm room, and hearing an unknown female's voice instead. I'd told them how worried I'd been all day, and how I couldn't put a finger on it but I felt that something was wrong.

Billy sat on a round stool next to his work desk sketching on his notepad, but glancing at me and nodding to show that he was listening. I could tell he was worried too. His forehead was creased, and his lips were pursed as he listened to me speak.

Freddy, on the other hand, was trying hard to suppress his annoyance. At least, that's what he looked like. Two spots of color had appeared on his cheeks, his lips were pressed thin and his eyebrows were drawn together. The last time I saw him look like that was one hour before our last gig, and we were fighting yet again for God knows why. Dewey had told both of us off, and I guess he was restraining himself from getting too worked up and totally destroying his performance.

"Are you sure you got the right number?" Billy asked, his pencil poised above his drawing as he waited for my answer.

"Pretty much," I agreed, my shoulders slumping.

"Well…Does he have any female roommates?" Billy asked again.

"No…it's an all boys dorm."

Billy dropped his gaze then, eyes on his drawing, but not really seeing. He just merely looked at the page, an unsettled look about his features.

I did not like the idea that he was suggesting at all.

"He wouldn't," I said in Zack's defense. "I know he wouldn't. Not to me."

Only uncomfortable silence answered my defensive statement. Then, quite suddenly, an object was shoved under my nose. Freddy was holding out his phone to me, though for some reason he wouldn't look at me.

"Here," he said tersely. His expression hadn't changed. It was still downcast and tense. "Just…call him already and get it over with."

All I managed was a half-hearted nod and took the phone from him. For the third time this day I dialed Zack's number. And after the second ring, much to my relief, he answered.

"Hello?"

"Zack, thank God," I breathed, my body sagging in relief against Freddy's shoulder.

"Summer? You're calling from Freddy's phone?" he replied, as though oblivious to my worry.

"I haven't heard from you for at least a week, and then this morning your phone was unreachable and then—oh Zack I've just been so _worried._"

"Ssh, Sum, take it easy," he placated, his voice calm and soothing. "I'm fine, OK? I just forgot to charge my cell, nothing major. Nothing's happened to me; I'm all right. You'd probably be the first to know if anything did."

"I know, I just--" I sighed, unable to find the right words. I wanted to know the truth, but I didn't want to sound like I'm accusing him of something. "I called your dorm earlier and--"

"You called the dorm?" he asked, the calm in his voice suddenly became harsh.

"I—yes. I told you, your cell was unreachable and I wanted to talk to you so badly," I said into the phone. "And…someone picked up but it wasn't you. I thought I had the wrong number so I hung up at once before I could ask."

I could tell Billy was watching me closely, even though he was pretending to be working on his design sketch. Freddy sat rigidly beside me.

"I see," he replied after a few moments of silence. "Okay, listen. Don't call the dorm number again. It's not a number to my room; it's the number in the landlady's office and she…well, she's just not very friendly. I don't want her bitching on you all right? So don't call that number anymore, unless it's a really big emergency."

"All right," I conceded, my heart rate starting to go back to normal. "I haven't heard from you for so long."

"I'm sorry. Everything's been so crazy lately," he explained, sighing as though exhausted. "Exam week is coming up soon and the work's just been too much, since we have to get ready for written and practical tests, and even a recital. I don't think I can look at a G clef the same way again."

"Okay," I said, accepting the excuse he gave. Then again, I'd accept anything, as long as it came from him. "Freddy's right beside me, do you want to talk to him?"

"Sure."

I figured the two best friends would like to have a friendly chat before we hung up so I handed the phone back to Freddy. But apparently, no such chat would be happening today.

"Don't scare her like that again, man," Freddy said gruffly into the phone, his eyes flashing as he listened to Zack talk. "I don't wanna hear it, I'm not your girlfriend Mooneyham. Just don't do that to her again, all right?"

I gave Freddy a strange look before I listened to Zack bid me goodbye on the phone. I hung up, and returned Freddy's phone.

"He wouldn't do that to you," Freddy said, but he kept his eyes averted from me. Then, under his breath he added a statement so quietly that I wouldn't have heard it if I weren't sitting so close.

"No one should do that to you."

My head shot up, and I caught his eyes for a brief second before he turned away. In those eyes was a look of defeat.

I wanted to ask him what that was about but he got up on his feet and sauntered over to Billy before I could even open my mouth.

"Frilly, what's that you're working on?" he asked, but his voice sounded overly chipper. Fake. I wonder what's wrong with him.

"It's Summer's costume, and no, you can't see it yet," Billy snatched the notepad from the table and held it against his chest.

"Whatever," Freddy rolled his eyes. He then unhooked his car keys from his jeans and made his way to the door. "I gotta run. I'll see you both tomorrow."

"You're leaving? What about dinner?" I asked, my brows drawn together in confusion. What's going on with him?

"I'll get something on my way home," he responded airily with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Bye."

I tried to catch his eye but he wouldn't look at me. He just whizzed across the room, and left so hastily that I didn't even have time to process everything that just happened.

Okay…what the hell was that about?

_(to be continued…)_

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, I know, this chapter isn't much, but it's necessary. It holds quite a few turning points in the story so we'll just have to deal. Excuse any errors, because I'd edited this in a hurry just so I could update sooner.

The next chapter will be loads better, I think. It's one of my favorites.

And to **D.M. Ralte**: (just in case you didn't get it), that Dewey getting married with SoR playing is another of our similar ideas, though I gave Dewey another chick for a bride, instead of Ms. Mullins.

**Next up: Chapter 13 Green-Eyed Monster**

Freddy's acting all avoidy and Summer doesn't have a clue why. Seems like it won't be a very happy Halloween for our couple…Except maybe for our favorite queer, who's new and first ever beau's identity is going to be revealed. Any ideas on who it could be?

Now review, or else I'd wait until Halloween in the real world before I update again. Bwahahaha. Just kidding.;p But really. Review me. Please? Thanks:)


	13. GreenEyed Monster

**What You Least Expect  
- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
****Nanners-77:** Bah, don't get paranoid when I don't update for some time. If there's such a thing as advanced-reading, well…I'm advanced writing. I'm starting on chapter 16 as we speak (or type. Or whatever.) so don't worry too much.;p And thank _God _you finally updated. I've been waiting for that _Roma _fix forever. Haha.  
**Kevin'sQT:** I knew I was sent in this world for a reason…and that's to convert everyone else into SF shippers. Whoohoo, yay me! Thanks for reviewing, and go ahead and raise that SF flag!;p  
**ERclaireER:** people are so stubborn sometimes, especially when it came to feelings like these, no? Hah, but I love it, it's so much fun to see. Except maybe when it's happening to me, or something. That's stressful. Thanks for the review, hope you love this chap as much as I do.  
**EpisodeSkywalker:** Aww…I'd like to help you out in that Reese's problem but I'm also keeping a tight fist on my stash right now. I'm nearly out you see, and Reese's are a little hard to come by in our humble country.;p Zack…well…like I said in an earlier review, the boy's only human. Here's the update, enjoy!  
**dazed420kush:** Ah don't worry too much, it's a detail that's been done by others (D.M. Ralte and myself included). So no, I won't think you copied me plotwise. The costumes…well, I don't think they're anything major; they're just nice little add-ons that I inserted in the story some time ago. And the fact that it's already Halloween is a bit of a symbolism of the time that's already elapsed in the WYLE world. The party, however, is another story. Winks.  
**D.M. Ralte:** 'Hell no'…that was exactly the reaction I was aiming for. Glad you caught that phone-moment with Freddy. That's one of my fave scenes in the chapter, together with that moment in _Threads. _I like doing subtleties, 'cause it's a lot like life, no? Thanks for reviewing as always, and please update soon too!  
**Kisshu-luv:** Oh yes, so many things so little time…bahaha. Jealous Freddy's so damn cute, no?  
**A Bloody Vampire:** yeah, cheating around does suck, but especially if you're deliberately cheating on your partner. So Freddy and Summer's relationship is a…err…a bit of the lesser evil, 'cause they're not doing it deliberately, and they're trying NOT to do it, but they can't help themselves. Did that even make sense? Haha. I don't like Andrew either, but you'll love him when you find out what his influence on Freddy and Summer would bring. Read on up to find out! ;p  
**I am not a chipmunk:** no update yet…aww…now I feel bad… And I _looove _Billy so much. He's like the sassy, sarcastic fashionista girlfriend…only, he's gay, which makes it so much cooler. Yeah, not updating 'til Halloween would be pretty depressing for me, since I love this chapter, and I want to share the love. So now here it is! Enjoy!;p  
**ilovestrawberries:** well here you go then, read up and enjoy the party!  
**fkjdhg:** haha. You actually reviewed just to say that?  
**lilyflowr33:** Andrew and Billy…? …HAHAHA! Funnily enough, I also had that idea early on, when I was in the planning phase, as well as having Jackie and Billy come together or something. _But_ I like Billy to remain gay, and I did say that his beau is someone we all know, so no, it's not Andrew nor is it Jackie. Wanna find out? Read on up!  
**Cupid's Bride:** perfect sense? Really? How so? And you're actually sure that Zack's lying huh? Hmmm…winks. Thanks for reviewing!**wyverna**: seriously, am I the only regular update-er here? Aww man, you people are unfair. (pouts) You old crowd rockers really should stop torturing the new batch like this. Lolx, kidding.;p And oh, I tried adding you on my mySpace (hah, that mySpace account is majorly sad), but I don't know your last name so…yeah. Thanks for reviewing, it's always great to hear from you.  
**Blueberry23**: Stop making me blush, yeesh. ;p Thank you, glad you think so!  
**sweetcaroline**: hooray, I updated before Halloween! And I have another note for you at the end of the chapter, so be sure to check that out, 'kay?

**Disclaimer: **School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note: _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in Italics are flashbacks unless labeled otherwise.

On with the story!

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**Chapter 13:** **Green-Eyed Monster**

_**Summer**_

It's the night of the party, and I'm standing in my room, already fully dressed and made up. Billy worked hard to finish making my (he called it Temple Priestess) costume the night before, making sure everything was perfect. He's like that in everything he does, and more so when it came to his designs. That's probably why we get along so well.

I twirled around and gaped at myself, watching with awe as the material of the costume glittered where the light hit it.

I have to say, Billy's efforts paid off. The costume was gorgeous. It consisted of two pieces: a tube dress and a white overlay. The tube dress was made of pale blue peach skin. It was short, only coming a few inches above my knees but it fit me like a glove. It hugged my curves (who knew I had 'em, eh?) without being too tight. Over the tube dress was the sparkly white gossamer piece that was draped like a toga with a high slit down the side.

He even took care of my hair and makeup, saving me a trip to the salon. He curled my hair in such a way that it fell naturally down my shoulders in soft waves. Two gold clips in the shape of laurel wreaths adorned my hair at the sides. For makeup, he used subtle shades of blue and shimmering white to shadow my eyes, and a brown eye pencil to line my lower lids.

He's still in his room right now, putting the finishing touches to his costume. Good thing too, I needed some time alone. I hadn't had much time for myself the last two days, what with all the shopping for accessories that I did with Billy. And also, must not forget the wedding assignments Dewey gave us. Billy had also been busy sketching several designs and faxing copies over to Dewey and Carrie. Carrie had called, and said she loved the designs, and also asked Billy to design her wedding dress too. (For a price of course. Billy said it wasn't a problem and that he's delighted to do the favor for them, but Carrie insisted on paying. She said talent like that should not go around without a cost. She settled for the discount.)

I did my part by contacting the whole School of Rock. I'd called each of them to see if they got Dewey's message and if they were going back to Manhattan for the Christmas party that Dewey would be holding. Alicia had been particularly difficult to contact, what with her manager screening her calls for her. If I hadn't been so insistent, I would've never gotten to her. They confirmed that yes, they all got Dewey's message and that they were all psyched for him.

Turning away from the mirror, I made my way to the loveseat just across the foot of my bed and sat down, careful not to rumple the costume in any way. Freddy wasn't supposed to arrive in another twenty minutes, so I still had time…time to think.

What about? Well I just mentioned him didn't I?

Something's going on with Freddy. He's been acting really strangely. He's…quieter. Like he's got something big on his mind.

_They were in the library, each occupying one side of a square table. The fourth side of the table had a seat occupied by Billy, Freddy and Summer's bags. All three of them had a notebook or a book (or both, in Summer's case) spread out in front of them but Freddy was the only one who wasn't really studying. _

_Summer supposed that several months ago, she wouldn't be surprised that Freddy wasn't too keen on studying. Lately though, he has taken a bit more interest in their academics, so she wondered why he had suddenly reverted to his old slacker self. _

_Today, he wasn't complaining, nor was he trying to distract his companions like he always did. Hell, he wasn't even drumming on the desk. He just sat there motionlessly, leaning on the back of his chair and staring off into space. He could be just spacing out again, but his troubled expression said otherwise. His blue eyes, which were usually bright and cheerful, had lost all its brilliance and were clouded over. _

_Summer had noticed. He's been like this all week, and it got worse everyday. _

"_Freddy? Are you all right?" Summer said, speaking in hushed tones so the librarian won't kick them out of the silent haven. She reached out a hand and laid it over his. _

_He flinched at her touch, as though she burned him, and removed his hand from under hers. He's been doing that a lot, too. Everytime she went close to him, or even tried to touch him, he put distance between them. Wasn't it just a week ago, she was on his lap, and his arms were around her?_

"_What?" he asked, his eyes meeting her worried gaze. _

"_I just wanted to know if you're OK. You've been out of it."_

"_I'm fine," was his only reply. Why won't he tell her what's wrong? Whenever she asked him what was bothering him, he always brushes it off like that, or he changes the subject. _

"_Billy and I are going to the mall later, maybe you'd like to join us," Summer said, determined to keep the conversation going. If he wouldn't tell her what's wrong, then she'd just try to cheer him up. _

"_No, I got…stuff to do," Freddy whispered back, averting his eyes and leaning forward on the table so he could finally start studying. Summer tried to hide the look of hurt that suddenly descended on her features just as the librarian trotted over to shush them._

Until now, I still didn't know what's up with him. He hadn't even come over for dinner. So I was pretty surprised when he called a few hours ago, asking me what time he should pick me up, and whether Billy would be riding with us. (Billy said no, he said his "date" would be picking him up, and that we'd probably meet this mysterious guy finally.) I didn't think he'd push through with this party, since he didn't even like costume parties, or Andrew Kohlberg anyway.

I sighed, deciding to finish getting ready. I bent down and pulled on the lace-up open toed sandals that I'd gotten especially for this costume. When I finished putting them on, Billy knocked on my door and let himself in without waiting for my reply.

"I'm a genius, aren't I?" he said, grinning from ear to ear, clearly pleased with the turnout of his recent project, namely, me.

"Yes, praise yourself, why don't you?" I laughed and got up on my feet so Billy could get a better view of his creation. "Did I do justice to this masterpiece?"

"Come off it, you know you're beautiful," Billy rolled his eyes, chuckling.

"You look pretty damn hot yourself, Dracula," I jibed, admiring Billy's vampire costume. Oh yes, the costume suited him. Sophisticated, mysterious and gorgeous. Shame, really, that Billy was gay. He'd have made so many girls swoon if he weren't. He wore a rich black tuxedo, and a cape with a high collar. His chestnut hair was slicked back, every strand perfectly in place. He had circled his eyes with black eyeliner for dramatic effect. In his hand were the plastic fangs that he'd be putting on later to complete his costume.

"So do I really get to meet you mystery man tonight?" I asked him as I gathered my keys, wallet and phone so I could put them inside my white designer purse.

"I guess so," Billy replied, biting his lip rather shyly, the air of confidence faltering somewhat. Then he came up to me and took both my hands in his. "Summer, promise me you won't go crazy when you meet him, okay?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Just…promise me, okay? Please?"

I pursed my lips, looking at Billy peculiarly, before sighing. I was too curious to know who it was to even argue.

"Okay, I guess," I agreed finally, just when my phone began to vibrate. I pulled it out of the handbag and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Summer?" My heart skipped a beat. I immediately recognized the smooth voice as Freddy's.

"Hey."

"I'm already downstairs. Should I come up?"

"No, no, I'll be there shortly. I'm ready anyways.

"All right, I'll wait for you outside."

"See you in a bit."

"Okay."

He hung up with a click, and I was just a bit disappointed about his lack of enthusiasm.

"I guess I'll see you at the party later," I told Billy as I put the phone back in my bag. "Freddy's here already."

"Wait, I'll come with you. I'll just wait for—" he paused, flushing red slightly when he almost slipped up and told me the name of his date. "—umm…_him_ downstairs," he amended quickly. "I wanna know what Freddy thinks of your costume."

I agreed, and let Billy accompany me downstairs. I hope he didn't notice that I was wondering the exact same thing.

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**_Freddy_**

I observed my own reflection on the car's window as I waited for Summer. _'I look pretty darn convincing as a pirate.' _

White, poufy long sleeved shirt, brown suede vest, black trousers and boots, a red bandanna, a hoop earring and even an eyepatch. Yep, Captain Jack would've been proud. Or rather…Captain _Jackie_. This whole pirate idea was her idea after all.

On a normal day, I would've probably looked like a complete idiot. But since today is Halloween, I can blend in with all the other idiots and just say, "It's a costume, bro" and no one would be able to tell the difference.

Tonight, I'm a pirate. A rogue. Breaker of all laws without a care in the world just to pursue what makes them happiest; treasure. They stole, pillaged and plundered their way into other people's treasuries just to satisfy themselves. Because of that, I suppose that pirates would also be shallow.

Okay, so that's not a far cry from my real personality.

But I wasn't shallow. Not anymore, anyway. I used to be just like a pirate. Booze, sex and music used to be enough to satisfy me. Looking back, I guess I was never really satisfied. Never really happy. Except maybe when I was playing our music.

'_Figures though,' _I thought with a bitter chuckle. _'--that the one thing that can make me happy is the one thing I can't have, because it already belonged to someone else.'_

Psh. What am I thinking? When did I become all mopey and cliché and emo? Freddy Jones does not go emo.

But I knew precisely when I started this funk: a week ago when Summer had called Zack out of worry. That simple gesture had hit me like a big yellow school bus and hurled me back to reality.

God how could I have been so _stupid_? Everything that's happening the past few months plus everything that Jackie told me had meddled with my brain and I'd deluded myself into thinking that Summer was…well…that Summer was mine.

But I suppose that's just a stupid dream. A nice dream, but a dream nonetheless. However much I distorted the details, the fact that Summer is Zack's girlfriend still remained, and I had to accept that.

It kinda reminds me of this awesome drumkit I saw on display once. I wanted it. I have the money for it and it's right there. In front me. Well within reach. But I can't have it, because someone else has already purchased it. An obnoxious _Sold _sign was stuck to a cymbal, to tell me that it already belonged to another.

It's a hard truth to accept, let me tell you.

You think it was easy, trying to distance myself from her and ignore her efforts to talk to me these last two days? Geezus, listening to an entire Jesse McCartney CD would have been easier. I can't very well tell her what I'm thinking now can I? No, I can't. Not when I don't even understand what's happening yet. All I know is that I want her, but I can't have her. So, I figured, I had to get away from her.

That's why I've also been thinking of breaking off the deal I made with her. You know, that girlfriend thing? (We really should come up with a name for that fucking deal.)

We have three months to go before we could complete the six-month agreement, but I don't think it's needed any longer. I haven't been seeing much of Olivia, anyway, so there's no point of pretending to be a couple with Summer anymore, is there? And didn't Summer say once (yeah, a long time ago, but still…) that she'd be glad when this whole ordeal is truly over? So maybe it won't be too hard to convince her to accept my decision.

Yeah, we could still hang out and stuff as, y'know…_friends_…but it won't be the same. At least not for me.

I guess that's why I still chose to go to the party with her tonight. I really shouldn't see her anymore, given what she does to me whenever I do, but tonight's as good as any to break the deal off with her. No point in prolonging the agony, right?

Besides, like I said, I'm not letting that Kohlberg dude get his hands on her. Tonight anyway, since she's looking finer than ever.

Yeah…that pretty much sums up what I've been thinking the past week. And damn, thinking about all of it again is making my head hurt.

Sighing, I leaned on the front door of my car as I waited for her to come down, shoving my hands down my pockets. How much longer is she going to take?

I flipped my mobile phone open, planning on calling her to tell her to hurry up when the doorman pulled the front doors of the apartment building open. I lifted my eyes off the cement sidewalk and straightened up. There, standing in the doorway tailed closely behind by Billy, was Summer.

As far as I could remember, Halloween had always been an excuse for girls to dress up as skanky as they want, and no one could tell them off. I really should've known that Summer will never be one of them. Damned pixie. She just _had_ to go against the norms, didn't she?

Her lips curved upward into a smile when her eyes caught mine. I felt my mouth gape slightly open, all coherent thought fading into oblivion as she descended carefully down the steps. Damn it all to _fucking_ hell. She's beautiful.

"Hi," she greeted me when we were finally face to face. I struggled for breath and gave a strangled "Hey" when I found my voice. Shit. How am I supposed to say what I planned to if I can't even _talk_ properly?

Much to my relief, Billy came bounding down the stairs after her, his vampire's cape billowing in the wind.

"So? What do you think?" he chirped, grinning at me broadly.

"Of what?" I said, managing to tear my eyes away from Summer.

"The costume, idiot!" Billy rolled his eyes. "Can you guess what she's going as?"

Guess? Was he shitting me? I couldn't even think!

"Helen of Troy?" I said the first name that popped into my head, and felt heat rush up my neck when I realized what I just did.

Billy quirked an eyebrow. "The face that launched a thousand ships? I was going more of Grecian temple priestess…or Athena at most, but I like the way you think!" He laughed jovially. Wow. He sure was in a good mood. He turned and nudged Summer. "He likes my design. Isn't that great?"

Summer's cheeks were flushed pink. "Yeah, great," she murmured.

"You know, we'll miss the party if we just stand outside all night," I informed them, willing myself to stop acting like a fool. Old habits die hard, I guess. "Get in the car Fagula and Helen."

"Oh, haha, real funny Wilfred," Billy rolled his eyes at the joke. "You two go on ahead, I'm still waiting for someone."

"Oh right, you're going to the party with your _boyfriend_," I smirked tauntingly at Billy. A smirk. Finally, something that feels familiar.

"That's right, now leave," Billy said haughtily, pointing down the road to urge us to get going.

"See you later." Summer gave Billy a peck on the cheek before the queer headed back inside the building.

When she looked back at me, I'd already opened the car door for her and motioned for her to get in. I got in the driver's seat and started up the engine.

"Nice costume," she commented tentatively while hooked up my iPod on my car's sound system and located Greenday. "Did you come up with it by yourself?"

"Nah, Jackie helped," I replied, pulling out of the driveway.

"Should've known. You wouldn't have chosen something that fashionable by yourself," she teased. I chuckled, easing up the slightest bit.

"Hah, for someone who had a fruitcake do her costume, you're a fine one to talk," I shot back, distractedly reaching for my iPod to press Play.

The first track, it turned out, was _Paper Lanterns.' How very appropriate_,' I thought, frowning at the MP3 player. Sometimes, I could swear that that iPod had a brain of its own. A very sadistic one at that.

During the ride to the party, I found myself talking and laughing and bickering with Summer again, as though the last few days didn't happen. The conversation was all small talk though. I was skirting around the issue of the reason why I've been acting weird the past few days, and I could tell she was dying to ask me about it.

I gave a sideways glance and saw her sitting quietly, her hands primly folded on her lap as she looked outside. Tightening my hold on the wheel, I held back a sigh.

I think breaking it off with her would be much, much harder than I thought.

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**_Summer_**

"Hey Summer, Freddy," greeted an Arabian princess who I later recognized as Karen, a blockmate of ours. I returned the greeting with a smile and a wave before going back on our way.

The party was already in full swing when we arrived, and the frat house was positively _packed_ with people. That's actually saying something, since the frat house was massive. The first floor had a ballroom, which were now used by several dozen people as the dance floor. A disc jockey had set up a station in a far corner, where he was feeding hiphop tracks to the player. Surrounding the dance floor were tables and a few doors that probably led to recreational or refreshment rooms and whatnot. From the first floor, the equally huge second floor lobby was visible, and several people were looking down at the party from the banister. Everyone was either dancing to the beat of the music, or holding a glass of something alcoholic, or laughing, or doing everything all at the same time.

Yup, it was promising to be the biggest party of the year.

We cut through the crowd, with Freddy holding my hand so we didn't get separated. We've only been here a few minutes, and already I've tired out from greeting people. And there aren't even that many of them to greet. Sure, there were a fair number of familiar faces, most of them I knew from my block, but all the rest were just strangers to me.

Well. Think of how Freddy must feel. He knew thrice as many people as I did, and most of them were women. (He had a bit of trouble remembering names more than once, actually.) I've seen like twelve different species of playboy bunnies, Barbies, she-devils, pussycats and kinky fairies come up to us to greet and flirt shamelessly with him as though I didn't exist.

I smiled to myself, remembering the time when it used to bother me so much when so many pretty girls wanted his attention. I don't know when it started, but now, he never even gave those tall, leggy and well-endowed women a second glance.

And tonight, anybody who attempted to hit on him, he only regarded with a curt 'hey' and a polite grin. When anyone requested a dance with him, he declined, saying, "Sorry babe, I don't dance." So yeah, there isn't really any need to feel insecure anymore.

"Freddy, _mi amigo_!"

I glanced up to see a guy from our block, Carlos, slap Freddy a high-five.

"Oh. Hey there, Summer. Lookin' hot," he sent a wink my way, before turning back to Freddy. "The guys are upstairs, you two should join us."

Freddy glanced down at me, his gaze questioning. "You wanna go upstairs?"

"Sure, okay," I said, shrugging my shoulders. There wasn't really anything down here that particularly interested me, so we might as well mingle with people we knew.

"Cool, see you guys up there," Carlos grinned broadly. "I'll be up in a few, just have to go get more booze."

He gave a salute before heading towards the other direction.

"I didn't know you were friends with some of our other blockmates," I commented, leaning back toward Freddy so he could hear me.

"I played billiards with them a few times," he replied.

And that was all he had to say on the matter. I frowned. He's been like that this whole evening; unnaturally reserved and shut tighter than a mollusk. We talked for a bit during the ride over, but it was all too light to be genuine. The conversation somehow felt…forced. I can tell that whatever was bothering him all week was still there, but he still wouldn't talk to me about it.

And on our way to the stairs, we ran into, who else? Andrew Kohlberg himself, dressed as a hockey player. From the corner of my eye, I saw Freddy tense up, and felt his grip tighten on my hand.

"Summer, you made it!" Andrew said upon seeing me, and shoved his way over to us. "Great costume."

"You think so?" His smile was so huge that I couldn't help smiling back.

"You look hot," he assured me, touching my cheek briefly. "Then again, you're always hot."

I struggled not to wince at his touch, feeling very much uncomfortable. Andrew had always seemed so nice, but something about him, and the way he's looking at me just now, made me feel a bit queasy. Freddy probably sensed that too, because he snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me to him.

"She is, isn't she?" he said tersely, glaring at Andrew as though telling him to back off. "Nice costume, Kohlberg," he added as a sarcastic afterthought.

"You too Jones," Andrew responded, meeting Freddy's gaze head-on before he beamed back down at me. "Save me a dance for later?"

And once again, Freddy spared me from answering.

"Sorry man, but all her dances of the evening are reserved for me," he said, his fingers digging into my hip.

Normally, I would've been annoyed as hell. I had my own tongue and I can speak for myself, thanksverymuch. But tonight was different, I suppose. And I don't know why, but I just didn't feel being alone with Andrew was a good idea.

But I think Andrew just ignored what Freddy said. "I'll see you around," he told me with a wink (why do people keep _doing _that?) before he turned and disappeared once more into the crowd.

Once Andrew was gone, Freddy removed his arm from my waist. Then his expression turned stoic again. His hand on the small of my back, he gently pushed me forward, steering me through the frat house silently.

"All my dances for tonight are reserved for you?" I asked Freddy over my shoulder.

"Yeah," he said in my ear.

"But you said you don't dance."

"That's right. So I guess you won't be doing any dancing tonight, Tink."

Oh. I was half-hoping that I'd get at least one slow dance with him but…okay.

"That's all right," I said instead, craning my neck to look up at him. "But since we're not doing any dancing…care to tell me what's up with you?"

I felt his fingers curl tighter on the fabric of my dress. He suddenly stopped walking for a second, before pushing me forward again. "Nothing's up."

Ah damn, not this again.

"Would you stop feeding me that bull?" I said, raising my voice, speaking over the music. I brushed his hand off me and I stepped right in front of him so we stood face to face. Well, actually, my face was in level with his chin and I was looking up at him, but that's beside the point. "I took that crap from you all week, but I can't take it anymore. What's going on Freddy?"

He took a deep breath, and let it out in a sigh. I could tell he was hesitant. His eyes were fixed on a spot on my shoulder, determined not to look at me. I had a feeling that whatever it was he wanted to tell me…I wasn't going to like it.

"Listen, Summer," he began, breathing deeply again. "I--"

He was cut off when someone collided into me. He had been walking backwards and was apparently talking to someone when he crashed to me. The guy, who was wearing black Hogwarts robes and round glasses, turned to apologize and I recognized him at once. Curly black hair, very dark eyes and chiseled nose…Yup, I recognized him all right. And when a name connected to the face, my eyes bugged out.

I opened my mouth to call on him, but Freddy beat me to it.

"Gordon?" he blurted out, looking every bit as surprised as I was.

Gordon froze mid-sentence before he let his shoulders sag.

"Hey," he said with a sheepish grin and a slight wave of hand. "How've you guys been doing?"

"We're good, but…what are you doing _here_?" I asked, a bit bluntly. I haven't seen him since graduation, and obviously, I'm shocked to see him. At a Halloween party, of all places. But he didn't seem as surprised to see Freddy and me.

"Uh yeah, well I--"

"_There_ you are, Gordon. Have you got our drinks yet?"

An arm slipped suddenly through Gordon's. The arm, I was startled to find out, belonged to none other than Billy Falduto. When Gordon didn't answer immediately, Billy looked up to see what Gordon had been ogling at, and blushed deeply when he saw Freddy and I.

"Oh," Billy said, having a bit of trouble finding his voice. He hooked a finger on his collar in an attempt to loosen it somewhat and cleared his throat. "I see you've…met."

No. Way. Was he saying that Gordon was the guy he's been mooning over these past few weeks?

"So he's…?" I trailed off, but the question hung in the air, and Billy caught on easily.

"Yeah," he replied sheepishly.

"Wait a minute," Freddy spoke up, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "You mean to tell me that Gordon is…since _when_?"

"Freddy!" I chided, giving the blond a look. Honestly, the boy has no sense of tact whatsoever. Gordon looked like he didn't mind it though. He didn't seem to find the situation awkward at all.

"Guess I've always really kind of known, but it was only when I got to college that I accepted it," he shrugged, still smiling. "Billy kind of helped me with it."

"Wow," was all I can say. My head was still reeling from this new piece of knowledge.

"Freddy, would you mind if Summer and I went to go get drinks?" Billy asked, grabbing my arm.

"I guess not, go ahead," Freddy shrugged.

"Coolness, thanks!" Billy said and dragged me away. "We won't be long, I promise!"

"We're not done yet," I said, giving Freddy a stern look before I let Billy pull me away completely.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Billy led me into a room that looked like a den where the refreshment tables were set up. Several people stood around a Foosball table in one corner of the room. To me thought, the room was more like a love nest than the refreshment area. The music was less loud in here, so a few couples found it a suitable place to make out. I tried to keep my eyes off the entangled couples and willed myself to block out the smooching noises.

We sat ourselves on the round stools in front of a bar and got apple Martinis for ourselves, a cognac for Gordon, and rum for Freddy.

"So?" Billy spoke up the first time since we left Freddy and Gordon. He was drumming his perfectly manicured fingers on the bar's surface and was giving me an anxious glance. "What can you say?"

"Well," I began, lifting my glass up to my lips and took a sip. "I'm a little shocked, to tell you the truth. But I guess I'm okay with it. I was never really close to him, but I think Gordon's a good guy."

"I know," Billy sighed; relieved or dreamy, I wasn't sure which.

"How did it happen though? I didn't know you two kept in touch."

He then proceeded to tell me about how Gordon had decided to take a year off before going to college, as he tried to find himself and tried to come to terms with his sexuality. He moved out from his parents' house and applied for any job that involved computers, his area of expertise. He somehow landed an interview with _Hot Topic, _where he applied as a web page designerand troubleshooter. He was supposed to meet the people from _Hot Topic _in _Absinthe, _Billy's favorite club. As luck would have it, Billy was in _Absinthe _the same night as Gordon's interview. And that's how they met again.

Curious and excited to see someone from School of Rock, Billy had gone to talk to Gordon. They talked all night, exchanged numbers and they've been seeing each other regularly since. At first, it had been purely business. When Gordon got the _Hot Topic _job, Billy asked if Gordon could get him a job as an apparel designer for the brandOf course, during these business talks of theirs, some personal conversations come every now and then. It had been quite a surprise for Billy when Gordon admitted that he was, indeed, gay. He'd known ever since he went out with Eleni a few years back. Things had been going great until Eleni decided to take their relationship to a higher level of intimacy. Yes that meant sex.

But Gordon hadn't been able to do it with her. They broke up shortly after that, and Gordon had been struggling with his sexuality since. That is, until he met Billy again, who helped him through it.

"We're not officially a...yknow, a couple, yet," Billy said, rather shyly as he toyed with Gordon's cognac glass. "But I think we already have an understanding."

I bit my lip, suppressing the urge to go "_Awww_!" It was just so cute, seeing the perpetually poised and sophisticated William Falduto all flushed and giddy and adorable. I reached over and gave him a hug instead.

"I'm really happy for you, Billy," I said in all honesty when we pulled away.

"I am too," he agreed. "I just hope things would go well with him. He _is _my first boyfriend…so to speak."

If there was something I'm good at, it was character judgment. And working closely with Gordon through School of Rock has given me a lot of time to get to know him. He was extremely nice, albeit a bit nerdy at times, and really good-looking at that. It actually boggled me how much he seemed to be every girl's ideal guy. I mean, no one's perfect, right? But now I understood. He can't be a girl's ideal guy because he's not really interested in women, is he? All the same, he was great, and I know he's going to take care of Billy.

"We've known him for years Billy, don't worry. Gordon's a good guy," I told Billy, assuring him with a squeeze of my hand. He smiled gratefully at me before glancing at his wristwatch.

"We'd better go back," he said. "They're probably waiting for us."

I nodded yes and we both hopped off our stools so we could head back to where we left the boys. Halfway there, we ran into Gordon. But Freddy wasn't nowhere in sight.

"Where's Freddy?" I asked.

"He went upstairs to play some game with a few people," he told me. "He asked if I wanted to join too, but I said I'd rather go find you and Billy."

Billy blushed again when Gordon's hand found his. I smiled and told them I'd go look for Freddy, and that I'll see them later. I left them in the dance floor.

I climbed up the stairs quickly, dodging a few people, the glass of rum in my hand, and I kept an eye out for the blond pirate. A few minutes later, I caught a glimpse of a guy in a red bandanna and a hoop earring standing in line with several other people. I wormed my way through the crowd and found that it was indeed Freddy.

My heart stopped when I saw that he wasn't alone. Someone dressed as a curvy gypsy had her arms around his neck…and he was kissing her. A few onlookers cheered loudly and I vaguely noticed a card flutter down to the ground between Freddy and the gypsy.

Suddenly, it felt like I wasn't Summer anymore…like I was detached from my body and I was watching the entire scene happen from somewhere far away. I don't know how long I stood there, just watching the two of them in that lip-lock. I didn't even feel my hand grip the rum glass tighter, and the other hand fisted on my side.

Barely knowing what I was doing, I marched over to them and poked Freddy on the shoulder. He tore his mouth away from the whore and yelped. The gypsy gave me a dirty look, probably for spoiling her fun, but I ignored her and kept my eyes on the guilty looking blond.

"Summer, wait--"

"Your drink," I spat, cutting him off, and splashed the rum on his face before I dropped the glass on the floor. I heard the sound of shattering glass before I spun on my heel, feeling a dim satisfaction when a stunned expression registered on his face. I didn't look to see if he went after me or not.

I was just…enraged. I've never felt a fury like this before. Fury…and jealousy. I hate to admit it. Oh, _God, _I hate to admit it so damn much, but I couldn't do anything about it. Even as I walked farther away from him, these inane emotions were slowly burning me up from the inside, rising up my throat like acid, constricting my chest until it hurt to breathe.

He wasn't my boyfriend, I know, and I had no right to feel this way. I knew I wasn't _supposed_ to feel this way, but I was.

Here I was, burning my brains out all week with wondering what was bothering him so much, that I didn't realize that his problem was just _boredom_.

Everything clicked into place as I tried to rationalize the recent happenings.

Of course. He was accustomed to getting everything he wanted, and that included his physical needs. He wasn't getting it from me, and I wouldn't let him get it from anyone else either and it was frustrating him. He's put up with it for three months now, because he needed to, because of Olivia Warren, but it's taking its toll in him.

It's too shallow a reason to be bothered all week long, but he's Freddy Jones, modern day Casanova. He's probably thinking he can't go on acting like my boyfriend if I can't satisfy his…needs.

'_I told him he can't go fooling around and make me look like the stupid girlfriend,_' I thought, trying to justify the anger that was now clawing at my intestines. I knew in my heart that that was just a lie, but God help me, I don't want to think of the real reason why I'm so upset.

I stopped abruptly, somewhere in the middle of the dancefloor, and gained a few bewildered glances from the people around me but I could care less. I'd just realized something.

He broke on of the laws of the agreement. The deal's over.

Was _that_ why he was avoiding me all this time? Was this his way of telling me that he wanted out of the deal? Come to think of it…we haven't seen much of Olivia lately…

He doesn't need me anymore.

"I don't care," I told myself stubbornly as hot, angry tears began to blur my vision. I stumbled across the dance floor, hoping I could somehow find my way out without seeing where I was going.

Then I crashed into someone. Andrew.

"Whoa there, Summer," he said, steadying me on my feet, his hands gripping my arms. "Where are you going?"

"Home," I choked out, blinking away the stupid tears until I could see properly again. He kept holding onto my arm to keep me steady.

"Already? But it's only eleven! Come on stay, just a little while longer."

"I'm sorry, it's a great party really, but I have to go," I said, almost pleading for him to let go of my arm. I didn't want to stay in this place anymore than I already have.

"At least dance with me before you go," he said softly, tucking back a strand of dark hair behind my ear. "It's such a shame to let your costume go to waste by going home early. Dance with me please?"

He was looking at me expectantly, his soft brown eyes never leaving mine.

I glanced over his shoulder, where the nearest exit was situated. It was just a few feet away, and I could leave this wretched party before I felt any worse. And then I looked back at Andrew and his proffered hand.

"Please?"

I thought the request over for a few seconds before nodding yes.

If Freddy can go fooling around all the women in this party, then I guess I can grant Andrew one dance.

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_**Freddy**_

Tearing the bandanna off my head, I wiped my face clean of the rum. When I could see again, Summer was already gone.

"Where's the card, Freddy? Come on, let's get this game going!" said Josh, the guy who dragged me over here to play a game of Suck and Blow. The girl beside me, who was dressed as a gypsy, thought it would be funny to drop the card on purpose so she could kiss me and make it seem like an accident. Oh sure it was all in good fun…until Summer walked in and saw everything.

"I'll pass on this round, Josh," I muttered, handing the card back to the gypsy. She clutched onto my arm, asking me to stay and finish the game with them but I shrugged her off. I should go and find Summer so I could explain.

'_Why bother?' _I asked myself as tore down the stairs in hot pursuit of the pixie.I came here to break the deal off with her, didn't I? Unintentionally, I just made it easier for her to hate me and agree to finish off the agreement between us.

'_Because I don't want her to hate me, that's why,'_ I answered my own question. However much I told myself otherwise, I didn't want Summer to hate me.

I skirted around the couples, and looked over their heads trying to find her. Halfway down the staircase, I caught sight of her. In the middle of the dance floor, with Andrew _fucking_ Kohlberg. Her hands were on his shoulders, and his arms were encircled around her waist as the two of them swayed in rhythm with the slow music.

Huh. She recovered quickly enough, didn't she?

I thought of leaving her be and just go back to finish that game with the others, since she looked like she was having _such _a good time and all. (Note the sarcasm there, people.) But then I saw Kohlberg's hand slip down to Summer's backside.

I knew that gesture. I've used it several times over on other women, and it always worked to my advantage, but I never used it on Summer. Crude gestures like that should never be used on girls like her.

Even from a distance, I could see Summer's expression harden. She removed her hand from his shoulder, and pushed Kohlberg's hand back up. I decided to keep watch, in case he tried to do something else.

Do something else, he did. He seemed to have tightened his hold on her, and was speaking into her ear, his hand sliding down again. That's when I made up my mind. I _knew _the idiot's no good.

I shoved my way into the crowd until I got to the pair of them. Kohlberg's head snapped quickly in my direction when I grabbed hold of his arm, my fingers digging into his flesh.

"I'm cutting in," I said bluntly and dragged him back, away from Summer. Stupid git. He's lucky I could control my anger better now, otherwise I'd have punched his nose into his skull. Summer looked surprised too, and quite relieved to see me here as well.

"Wait your turn, I'm dancing with her," he told me, annoyed, before turning back to Summer.

"Oh so you call feeling at my girlfriend's backside dancing?" I growled, shoving Andrew with just enough force to make him take a small step back. A few couples glanced over at us to see what the commotion is all about.

He looked somewhat shocked, and a bit afraid, of what I might try to do. In good context. I might not be the biggest dude, but I was tough. He should be thankful Frankie's not here to back me up, or he'd be dead before he could realize it.

"Get it through your thick skull Kohlberg," I said, snarling at him dangerously. "She's mine, you hear? You're not getting her, so save yourself the embarrassment and stop trying."

Hah, what a hypocrite I am, telling the idiot off for stealing someone else's woman.

I pulled Summer well away from him before I placed her hands on my shoulders, assuming the same position that Kohlberg had her in a minute ago. I glanced over my shoulder and saw him shake his head, muttering to himself before he left the dance floor. Victory was suh-_weet_.

When I looked down at Summer, her eyes were spitting fire at me.

"What are you _doing_?" she hissed.

"Saving you from being raped right on the dance floor," I shrugged. I laced my hands behind her back and pulled her closer to me, much to her obvious agitation. "I thought it was the right thing to do, but if you were having fun, then go ahead, go back to the idiot."

"I thought you didn't dance," she said tartly, her fingers digging on my shoulders.

"I don't. The things I'd do for you, Tink." The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. I didn't regret saying them though.

She was silent for a while, but she was still glaring moodily into space. I'm thinking she still didn't want to look at me. The song had stopped, but I didn't want to let go of her just yet. A new one began to play, and we started to sway, almost subconsciously in rhythm with the music.

I recognized the song as Daphne Loves Derby's _Aware, Rust and Repair_. Feh. Emo, I should've known people like Kohlberg listened to that kind of music. But I guess it's better than the hiphop tunes they had earlier. At least emo had real instruments.

"You could've just told me that you wanted out," she said at last.

"What?"

"You heard me," she said, turning her head to the side so she wouldn't meet my gaze. "You know, you shouldn't have told Andrew that I was…_yours. _I'm not 'yours' anymore, am I? The deal's off."

"But…why?" I stuttered. It's what I wanted, wasn't it? And I got it. I always got what I wanted.

So how come I feel so…defeated?

"What do you mean why? We had an agreement, and you didn't go by it," she said, tight-lipped with silent fury. "If you wanted out, you could've just told me. You didn't have to…find a whore and kiss her in front of me to tell me that."

"We were just playing a game of Suck and Blow," I explained, my voice coming out softer than I'd planned. She had finally agreed to meet my gaze, her eyes searching mine. "She dropped the card on purpose and kissed me."

"But you want out, don't you?" she pressed on. "That's why you've been acting so weird the past week?"

'_Just say yes!' _my mind yelled, but I couldn't bring myself to say it. Not now, when I'm huddled in her arms like this, and she's looking at me like that.

"Why were you avoiding me?" It was more of a command than a question. Her normally warm brown eyes were cold and piercing.

_Away  
__How hard can it be away?  
__I promise I'll be just fine  
__Avoiding the paths you take_

I should really tell her to never to look at me like that again. I steeled myself, getting ready to do what I promised myself I'd do.

"If you were getting bored, you should've just told me. We're…friends now aren't we?" She took her hands off my shoulders and laced them behind my neck. "It's okay, I understand. You didn't have to hide it from me…"

"It's not that," I shook my head. Oh, if she only knew the real reason…

_You have to try to make this easy  
__You have to try for me_

"No really, I'll understand," she went on, her gaze softening, and her lids half-mast. "I guess I just got so used to having you around that…that I think I'll miss you if you weren't…anymore…"

_Sometimes I'm scared that things could be  
__So much better than this  
__What's best is not right_

"Don't…say things like that," I said through gritted teeth, and pressed my forehead to hers.

Stop listening to her. Say what you've got to, and get it over with!

"I'm just sorry I won't be able to take care of you anymore…" she said, tilting her chin up slightly so her eyes met mine. Her voice was rather soft and airy. "And I guess…I just don't like the idea of you with anyone else very much, that's all…"

Her breath was warm; I felt it wash over my lips like a gentle breeze. All I wanted then was to keep holding on to her…maybe even kiss her... It's becoming very hard to think straight. It was as though the world had dissolved around us, and we're the only two people left.

'_I'm just sorry I can't take care of you anymore…so used to having you around…I think I'll miss you…'_

I squeezed my eyes shut, her words reverberating in my ears…

'_Zack,' _I reminded myself. I had to get away from her because of Zack.

_Sometimes I wish that we could be  
__So much closer than this  
__But I won't look up when you walk away_

"But really, do what you want Freddy…I have no right to stop you… if you want to find someone else, go ahead…"

"Do you want me to?" I whispered huskily. Our faces were mere millimeters apart, and I could hear her ragged breathing. "Do you?"

I waited for her to answer. _'Just say yes. Say yes, and I'll leave you alone,' _I pleaded silently.

_Away  
__Just tell me you'll stay away_

"I could say yes…I should say yes…But I don't want to lie anymore…"

_It's so hard to act surprised  
__You never look down when I'm gone_

"Shit…" I cursed myself for my weakness.

With a pained groan, I bridged that millimeter between our mouths and caught her lips with mine. I kissed her with all the strength I could muster; pouring all the frustrations I'd felt the past few days into it.

I've kissed girls before. Many, in fact, but never had I felt a need this fierce. A need for something I couldn't name, but I was sure it wasn't anything physical and that only _she_ could satisfy it. My left arm tightened around her, crushing her to me, destroying all semblance of space between us. My right hand ran itself through her hair, and held her head steady so I could kiss her more deeply. She gave a faint bleat of surprise, and, probably on instinct, tried to push me away. It was a weak try though, and nothing short of a bulldozer could tear me away from her right now. She then clung to me, as though her knees had buckled, and that my arm was the only thing that kept her from falling. She didn't put up a fight anymore when my tongue traced a line on her lower lip. Instead, her mouth opened to give in to my ministrations and let me in, her fingers lightly stroking the back of my neck, our tongues meeting and our mouths melting into each other.

'_I can't do it'._

I can't break it off with her, because I didn't want to be anywhere but _with_ her. This deal of ours was not about keeping Olivia Warren away anymore. It was about keeping me with Summer Hathaway. It was the only reason I had to be with her right now, and I don't want to give that up. Not yet. If I only had three more months to be with her, then I'll make the most of it.

I knew it's wrong. I won't force her to do anything she didn't want, because after all, she was still Zack's girlfriend. But I won't stop myself from getting what I wanted. And all I wanted was to be with her, and to show her that I wanted her. I'm not staying away from her until I have to. This is the first time I've felt anything other than lust for someone, and although it's scaring me out of my wits, I actually wanted to feel this way.

I won't tell her any of this though. Whether she wanted to or not, I knew she'd push me away if she knew for sure how I felt, because it's not fair to Zack. That's just the kind of person she is. If she pushes me away, I'll be forced to stay away. I won't be able to bear that.

She could return the gesture, or she could ignore it. I won't care. I've ignored it, denied it and held it in for as long as I could, for Zack's sake, but I can't anymore. I know he's my friend, but I'm not a saint.

No. I'm definitely not a saint. I'm a pirate aren't I?

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_**Summer**_

Perhaps it was the mellow music and dim lights that clouded my mind and stopped my hands from completely pushing him away. Perhaps it's his magnetic gaze and addictive scent that drew me in, and his strong arms that kept me from going anywhere. Or it could be the combined anger, loss and confusion I'd felt earlier that robbed me of my common sense.

Or it could be something else altogether. What it is, I do not know, and I don't want to know. Or maybe I already knew, but I just choose to remain ignorant of it. Why? Fear, maybe? Or guilt?

All I knew is that I meant all the things I said earlier, even if I really hadn't meant to say them out loud. And that when Freddy leaned in and closed the distance between our mouths, I did not find the strength to say no, nor did I do anything to prevent it from happening, because truth be told, I wanted it to happen. There were reasons why this should not happen at all, but it seems that the intellect I had always been so proud of has deserted me, leaving me with nothing but a jumble of confused emotions and crumbling defenses.

When our mouths melded together finally, perfectly, what little common sense I had in my grasp then slipped away completely. Reason played no part in that highly pleasurable experience of moving lips, nipping teeth and clashing tongues; it was just all raw passion and natural instinct. It was inexplicable, but it was the most beautiful feeling in the entire world.

Of course, all beautiful things come to an end. We separated just enough to see each other, our arms staying in place. He looked breathless, lips slightly swollen, cheeks flushed and eyes glazed yet glowing. I probably looked the same way. At least, it certainly _felt _like it. Do not ask me to explain why, because right now I could not think. I could not even speak. How on earth could I, when he was looking at me like that again? A million warring, unnamable emotions were reflected in those blue eyes and all of them crashed into each other in one heated gaze.

There was one emotion I recognized though; firm resolve. Like he's just come up with a decision and nothing could make him do otherwise.

But before I could make any more sense of the situation, a voice rang out and woke us both from whatever daze we were in.

"Summer! Freddy! There you are!"

We released each other from the embrace in time to see Billy waving us over furiously. Freddy and I shared a look before we weaved through the crowd and joined Billy and Gordon at the sidelines, right near the exit.

"Hey," I said, speaking over the music. "What's up?'

"Well, the party's becoming a bit of a drag," Billy said as he looked around at the slow dancing couples and rolled his eyes. "You guys wanna get out of here?"

We all agreed, and headed out the door. We passed by several other people who were also seated on the front steps of the frat house, probably taking a breather or they just really needed to get away from the music. Select few were bent over at the grass, throwing up from too much alcohol.

Among the outside crowd, I noticed, was Olivia Warren. I don't think she was in costume though. She was wearing her usual black duds; this time it was a long sleeved dress and ankle boots. She glanced up from her camera at us when we passed by on our way to our parked cars. For a fleeting moment I wondered what she was doing here, because she didn't seem like someone who went to parties like this. But then…I decided I didn't care.

"So, Billy and I were thinking of going somewhere to eat," Gordon told us. "Do you want to join us?"

"Umm…" I murmured, hesitant. The night had already been mentally and emotionally exhausting for me; all I really wanted to do was go home. And I really didn't want to spoil Billy's night with Gordon with my presence. "You guys go on ahead, I think I'll head on home," I decided.

"Really? Why? The night is young!" Billy asked. With a sigh, I told him about what Andrew tried to do earlier. Judging from Billy's shocked gasp and Gordon's disgusted expression, I take it they understood my decision.

"Oh my god, that sleazy bastard," said Billy. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, really," I assured him with a tired smile. "I just want to go home, if that's ok."

"Okay then, we'll just drop you off," Gordon offered as he removed his Hogwarts robe, revealing the gray V-necked sweater and black trousers he wore underneath. I couldn't help noticing with a grin that Billy had also chosen to date someone with a fashion taste as good as his.

"Don't be silly, her apartment's out of the way," Freddy spoke up suddenly. "You two lovebirds go on ahead, I'll take Tink home."

Damn. That's what I was afraid of. I _really_ didn't think being alone with Freddy right now is the best idea.

"You sure? It's not a problem really," Gordon insisted.

"I'm sure," Freddy nodded. "I don't wanna stick around in this joint any longer, anyway. Costume parties are _really _not my thing."

"Okay, okay we get the point," Billy said, holding up his white-gloved hands. "So…I'll see you both later then."

He pecked me on the cheek and waved Freddy goodbye. Gordon did the same before he got on the driver's seat of his car and pulled out of the curb.

"Let's go, Tink," Freddy spoke to me for the first time since…earlier and nudged me on the shoulder before leading the way to his Benz. I followed, albeit begrudgingly, and sat myself on the passenger seat.

Except for the Metallica songs that were playing on his stereo, the short ride home was silent. I didn't mind it though; the silence gave my mind some much-needed peace. I didn't want to do any thinking so I left my mind a blank and just watched the nighttime scenery pass by in a blur.

We reached my apartment in no time. I trudged up the familiar steps, and rode the elevator, Freddy following close behind. I didn't have the energy to stop him from walking me up to my unit. I didn't have the energy to do _anything _other than breathe, really.

Neither of us said a word as we climbed up to the floor of my unit. But when we reached the door of my apartment, though, he chose to break the silence.

"Hey Summer?"

My hand stopped midway to the doorknob and I left my key shoved in the key slot before I slowly turned around to face him.

"Hmm?"

"About that kiss earlier," he began, keeping his eyes trained on the ground and his cheeks sporting the lightest shade of pink. "I know that wasn't part of the agreement and all, and I'd understand if you get mad at me but--"

"It's okay, Freddy," I cut in, holding a hand up to stop him from rambling.

"—I promise I'll make it up to you somehow---what?"

I managed a weak smile. "You were trying to prove a point to Andrew. And Olivia."

He lifted his gaze up from the floor to give me a puzzled look.

"Andrew was watching. And Olivia was there too," I said in manner of explanation. God, those two should get together sometime. Neither of them knew how to get a clue. "Don't worry, I get it. It's not in our agreement, but maybe, just this once, we could let it slide."

"I—of course," he said, releasing a nervous laugh and scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. "So…we're still on?"

"Looks like you're stuck with me, Jones. At least, for three more months," I said, a bit teasingly.

"I'll live through it, somehow," he replied, playing along.

We stood there, grinning stupidly at each other for a moment.

"Well…goodnight then," I said, finally able to look away. Before I could make another move, he stepped forward and placed his hands on my shoulders. I held my breath for a brief moment as he leaned down to press his lips on my forehead.

"Goodnight, Tink," he whispered, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. He then stepped back, allowing me enough room to unlock my apartment. I let out a shuddering breath as I twisted the key into the knob. (And how hard it was to do that too, when my hand was shaking ever so slightly.)

"Oh yeah, just for the record," he said before he headed back towards the elevator. "I think you're an excellent kisser. Congratulations, Tink."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Same to you, Jones."

For a long time, I laid awake on my bed, dreamily gazing at my ceiling, even though I knew I was dead tired. Right before I'd fallen asleep that night, I remember thinking _'What about Zack?' _

'_What about him? I still love him, that much I'm certain of,' _said another voice. _'It was just a kiss. It didn't mean anything, Freddy said so himself. And this…whatever it is I think I'm feeling for Freddy, will also be gone in three months time.' _

'_That's right,' _I thought as I drifted off to sleep. '_Tonight was just a dream. It will all be gone in the morning.'_

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_to be continued…_

**A/N:** I was supposed to put this up so much earlier, but I got too caught up in writing the 16th chapter and put off editing this until I finished writing that other chapter.

Glad I got this out the way though! This chapter was darker than the past ones, and just a bit sad I think. But I like it, to be honest. Depression and acceptance stage was in there, hope I made it work.

Bahaha, second makeout scene!

And yeah, Billy's guy is Gordon! **_Cupid's Bride_** gets a virtual brownie for guessing! In close second is **sweetcaroline **for guessing Frankie. I was actually considering Frankie for the part, because I thought it'd be really funny in an ironic sort of way that such a big guy would turn out to be gay. I could so see Billy saying "I like a guy with muscles" and stuff. But I loved Billy too much to make fun of his lovelife, so I gave him Gordon. I liked Gordon a whole lot; I think it's the glasses. I like guys with glasses, really. And in the movie, did you see that they were seated beside each other in class? Yeah…

Oh…I just noticed that I've been using the less popular characters in the movie to accompany my leads. Frankie, Eleni, Michelle, Billy and Gordon…cool. Haha.

I'm not much of an artist, but I designed Summer's costume, and if anyone wants to see it, tell me and I'll mail the sketch to you, or I could upload it somewhere.

And totally out of nowhere, but if anyone out there is a DracoHermione shipper, I recommend that you read the Draco Trilogy. The thing is massive, but it's just _so damn good_. I suggest you download all the chapters now if you want to read it, because they're taking it off the net in a short while. It broke my heart to see that after six years, it's finally over. But I guess that's a good thing. So yeah, if you're interested, Cassie Claire (the authoress) has a blog in livejournal, and the username is epicyclical. All the links are in there.

**Up Next: Chapter 14: Clueless  
**Summer's forgotten her birthday. Freddy, who's been bitten by the love bug, plans a surprise and finds the perfect gift. People are acting weird. It all sounds so cliché, but whatever. ;p Very long chapter ahead, and a bit lighter than this one, so be sure to check it out!

Review me, pretty please? Peace! \m/


	14. Clueless

**What You Least Expect  
****- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
****Nanners-77:** Wow, aren't you a psychic one. ;p I can't help the teasing, it's the story's flow. I'm pretty sure you'd stay annoyed for a bit longer 'cause…yeah. Can't say anymore, or I'd spill the whole plot right here. Ahh, Freddy, my Freddy… I'm really glad you like him. I spent hours on the phone with my plot-planning partner, **saicho18**, just discussing and psychoanalyzing the dude, y'know, thinking about what he would and wouldn't do and say. Same with the other characters really, so I'm happy the hard work is paying off. For this chapter, however, he'll come off as more of a sap than ever. ;p  
**Annise:** What do you know, I unknowingly made someone's day…a very belated happy birthday to you! If you want, you can celebrate your birthday with Summer, even if it's already past.;p  
**Cupid's Bride:** yeah, that line was pretty much the clincher for me too. And I like the way you think! That philosophical shit was the same thing I was thinking when I first came up with this story, actually. D/Hr – F/S…It's uncanny how alike those two pairings are, don't you think? Though I see Draco as more of the refined and somewhat more intelligent, obnoxious walking sex-jerk and Freddy's the crass, clueless kind. Still hot though. Go ahead and use the Helen of Troy idea; if anything, it's a creative new twist to the SF pairing, and god knows I can't have enough of those two. As for Andrew's ass…go ahead kick away! I've no use for him anymore, anyways. Oh yea, hope you got the sketch I e-mailed. If you get any more brownies, I'll be sure to tell ya.  
**Sianne Kirsty:** Hah, you sure do like your emo-fringed boys dontcha? winkwinknudgenudge  
**EpisodeSkywalker:** A spy? Been watching too much Veronica Mars, weren't you? Lolz, kidding. But I have to say, the idea has potential!  
**lilyflowr33:** _Zack_? Naw, that guy's straight, most definitely.  
**Felons Dictation:** Hah, one of these days I just might get a beta. Doing the editing by me onesy's becoming a bit of a pain, and even then I still manage to have errors. Bleh. Maybe when I'm done with the entire story, I'll do a major re-edit. Or I'll have someone do it for me. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Glad to have you back though! I thought you'd done a solitarydragon and disappeared off the face of the fandom forever. Don't scare us like that! Marry my Freddy? I think you'd have to wrestle with Nanners, Cupid's Bride and all the other Freddy fans out there to do that.;p  
**Jojo:** Whoa, so many people seemed to have missed reading a lot of chapters.  
**ERclaireER:** uhh. Ok? Haha, now you got me speechless too.  
**whatever101:** yeah, Zack and Summer do seem like the perfect couple, don't they? But perfection isn't really all it's cracked up to be I guess.  
**x-Good-Girl-x:** oh, you ain't seen emotional yet, hun, believe me. Thanks for reviewing!  
**kissmehelectric:** you're one of the old crowd, aren't you? Yeah, I'm glad more of you are reappearing! Update that story of yours soon too, 'kay?;p  
**i am not a chipmunk:** you. (pokes) I'm becoming very upset with you because you're not updating. I've nagged Nanners into writing a new story, and I can do that to you too. I shall nag you with all my powers until you crack, I swear. Be afraid. Be _very _afraid…dun dun duuuunnn! Hahaha, kidding.;p  
**Kath Kruger:** Hey, what's there to be embarrassed about? I'll be 19 this coming October, y'know. My friends keep calling me a pedophile because I can get crushes on kids, like Kev Clark, Joey Gaydos Jr. and Haley Joel Osment, but whatever. To each his own, eh? And oh, in case you didn't know, Kevin Clark is only a year younger than me (and you too, probably), so it's not _that_ embarrassing. Winks.  
**Kisshu-luv:** Hah, the title…it's like that Alicia Silverstone movie, isn't it? But no, this chap's nowhere near that movie. The title _clueless _refers to Freddy, and you'll see why. Enjoy!  
**D.M.Ralte:** if I weren't the one writing this story, I'd be probably screaming _dump him, _too. But she has her reasons for sticking with the dude, and it'll be explained in a future chapter. Those fucking tenses…gah. Refer to my reply to Felons Dictation. I never seem to be able to get the hang of 'em.  
**A Bloody Vampire** – Ah, kissing Freddy, a fantasy of females of all ages…haha. Oh yes, Freddy understands the fact that Summer is his best bud's girlfriend very well. It's just that that Halloween night, he just couldn't help himself anymore. And are you kidding me? I freakin' _love _D/Hr! When you post your story, notify me, 'kay?  
**Blueberry23, Frankie**, **debbiegirl, kc4mesweetie, Phoebe,** **ilovestrawberries **and **Hicksville **– Thanks for reviewing!  
**maddster – **when Gilmore Girls was aired over here, I wasn't a fan of sitcoms yet so I didn't get the chance to check the show out. But from the Logan's photos, I think he has the right attitude and body language, but not exactly the right look. So I still think Gilmore Girls' Tristan is the best choice.;p Glad you're liking the story so far!

**_Notes: _**In the last chapter, I mentioned The Draco Trilogy, and said that it's a Draco/Hermione fic. I'd like to correct myself. It actually started out as D/Hr, but the ships changed eventually. I was kind of upset with the shipping changes at first, but kept reading just because Draco's character in that fic was absolutely brilliant. If you've already read it, you'll understand what I mean. ;p

**Disclaimer**: School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in italics are flashbacks unless labeled otherwise.

On with the story!  
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**Chapter 14: Clueless **

_**Freddy **_

Never in my eighteen years of existence have I ever cared about what I should wear. The phrase _dress to impress _never even made sense to me. All my life I've lived off T-shirts, hoodies, jackets and an occasional dress shirt or two for more formal occasions. My wardrobe, though not necessarily small, was nothing out of the ordinary.

So imagine my frustration when I dug in my closet and discovered that the shirts I use for daily wear can be basically divided into three types: old shirts with rips or holes that I wear in bed, shirts with band names (my favorites being the Metallica and Ramones ones) and shirts with…err…_suggestive_ slogans ("You, Me, Handcuffs, Whipped Cream…Any Questions?" and "Danger: Choking Hazard" with an arrow pointing down…ward). I liked those shirts, really, but they're just not good enough for me today.

So why am I obsessing over something so stupid?

Summer, that's why.

I've been doing that a lot lately. Y'know, obsess over the stupidest things.

When I first decided to stick to that agreement with Summer, I thought it wouldn't be a big deal. I would just have to hang with her like usual, and act like usual, right?

Wrong.

Since Halloween night, I hadn't been able to act normally around her.

At worst, I made a fool of myself. There were times that she'd catch me just blatantly staring at her, and all I could do is cough and blush. Me, _blush! _It's fucking ridiculous!

Seriously, I don't have a clue what to do, what to say and how to act, which is really dorky because haven't I proved time and again Casanova had _nothing _against me? I knew how to charm anyone off her feet (sometimes, without even meaning to), but with Summer it's an entirely different story. I knew my old tricks wouldn't work on her, especially since the old tricks basically consisted of saying "nice ass" paired with a wink. (Can you imagine how she'd _react_ if I even tried doing _that _to her?)

I know I said I'm not planning on…_pursuing _her, so to speak, but I think it's instinct. You like a girl, you try to impress her, do stuff for her, and say nice things to her. That's how it works, right?

So…I tried. And failed.

_Summer opened the door to let Freddy in. Billy, as usual, was in his room, surrounded by fabric swatches and material samples as he tried to decide on which type of satin or silk would work better with his bridesmaid dress designs. _

_"Hey," Freddy said in greeting as he stepped inside the apartment. She had been cooking, Freddy observed, when he saw the linen apron that Summer was wearing on top of her sweater and jeans. True enough, a rather lovely smell wafted over to them from the kitchen's general direction._

"_Dinner's almost ready," Summer told him, affirming his thoughts. "You can go start studying in my room while you wait, if you want." _

_This was a new routine that Summer had come up with, what with the examinations fast approaching. Every afternoon after class lets out, Freddy would drop her off at her place, swing by his own apartment to change or whatever and then come back to her place to study with her and Billy. The study sessions often finished late in the evening, which meant he often (or rather, always) stayed for dinner. _

"_Nah, I think I'll stay here," he said, following Summer to the kitchen and plopped down on a chair, instead of lounging in front of the TV like he always did._

_Summer chuckled. "Anything to get out of studying, huh?" _

"_Me? Get out of studying?" Freddy said in feigned indignation. "Tink, I am appalled. Whatever gave you _that _idea?"_

_Laughing, Summer turned to check if the tuna casserole was done. Freddy's eyes were trained on her back as he decided that it was time to try out that flattery shit. _

_Freddy cleared his throat. "Hey Tink?"_

"_Hmm?" Summer turned away from the stove to look at him._

_"You look…uhh…" he started, trying to think of something to say and failing. All that came out was a pained grunt. What the hell? Flattery always came like second-nature to him._

_So there he was, planning on using the said second-nature on a girl he actually liked for once, but then his brain just decided to do what it did best: it shut down._

_At the sound of his grunt, Summer eyed him with concern. The blond look like he's going to spontaneously combust any minute now._

_"Spazz? You were saying?" she prompted._

'You look cute! Gorgeous! Hot!' _his mind screamed all the synonyms he could think of, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate. _'Nice! Pretty! _Say _something! _Anything_!'

"_You look…" he tried again. Why oh why did he have to be tongue-tied now? "umm…clean?"_

'Ah shit, anything but _that!' He bit back a groan. Clean? _Clean! _What the _hell _was that!_

_Summer stared blankly at him. "Ooohkaaay."_

Needless to say, the flattery plan was a complete dud.

So even though it's sick, I thought about Zack and what he'd done to land Summer as his girlfriend. I suddenly wish I'd listened more when he babbled on and on about Summer all those years ago. Despicable, I know, trying to use my own best friend's tricks to steal _his _girl but gimme a break. I'm lost here. And I'm not really stealing her away, 'coz I'm not really expecting her to choose me over Zack. It's just that I can't sit around and do nothing. At least when this is all over, I can say that I tried.

All I could remember is that he just spent loads of time with her and talked to her a lot on the phone. Psh. That's nothing new with Summer and I. We're practically joined at the hip these days, especially with Billy always running off to see his new boyfriend. Calling her is just stupid, because I can always go to her apartment to see her (which beats talking on the phone any day).

The biggest thing I could remember him doing was to write a song for her. I tried that too, which would explain the mini Mt. Everest of paper on my barely used study table. When I couldn't find a word other than _drummer _that rhymed with Summer, I figured I'm just not the poetic type.

That's when I decided that I couldn't do this on my own, and did the next best thing; I called Jackie.

As expected, my sister had an absolute field day when I finally admitted that yeah, I've got it bad for the pixie and that I needed help.

Jackie said that maybe I should try the old school way. You know, ask Summer out on a date. I scoffed at the idea at first, because Summer and I go out a lot.

That was when Jackie asked if I ever paid for those "dates" and I realized that whenever we go out, we pay for ourselves. So technically, those weren't really dates.

I wasn't able to ask her out the first few days though, since we've been really busy. Our professors are fucking sadistic. The work they're making us do is unbelievable! As if having to study for our final exams aren't enough, they gave us all these whack projects and papers to write. If it weren't for Summer's help, I wouldn't even _know _about those stupid projects.

She's been pretty stressed out lately too, what with doing her work and helping me with mine. Plus, I think her techie stuff are going berserk on her. Her mobile phone went first. She said it needed a new LCD screen so she had to leave the phone in the shop. She had been borrowing my phone or Billy's for a week now.

Her Palm Pilot went next. It somehow got infected with a virus. Everything from her schedules, reviewers to her files was wiped clean. I think she forgot to Sync the data on her laptop, so yeah, she didn't have backups. (Toldja she was stressed out. She _never _forgets anything.) She absolutely _freaked, _and threw a tantrum in the library when it happened.

The librarian threatened to report the incident to the dean of the college and I had to use the old Freddy Jones' charm to get Summer out of trouble. That afternoon, I went with her to the electronics shop at the mall so she could have the Palm checked, along with her mobile phone. I used the opportunity to subtly ask her out.

_Freddy glanced nervously at Summer, who was trudging along beside him as she glared moodily at the ground._

_"Hey Tink?" he asked tentatively. She's been out of sorts all day._

_"The world hates me," she grumbled, looking both worn-out and cranky at the same time._

_"Aww, c'mon Tink, don't say that," Freddy said, instinctively reaching out to take her hand. His heart skipped a beat when her fingers automatically curled around his. He rather liked how soft her hand felt against his roughened one._

_"I'm such an idiot. That's the second time this year," she went on as though she hadn't heard him._

_Freddy sighed dejectedly, unable to think of anything to say for a moment. He never realized how difficult it was to cheer someone up. Right now, the only person he could think of who's possibly more difficult to cheer up than a stressed out Summer is Katie Brown. Only Zack has ever succeeded in getting the pessimistic bassist out of her mood spells. Freddy kind of wished he knew how the guitarist did it. He knew squat about things like this. _

_Then, a bright neon sign of an ice cream parlor caught his eye, breaking his train of thought. _

_Jackie's voice rang in his ears. "Freddy, you moron, it's not considered a date if she pays!" she had said in one of their phone conversations. _

_Freddy began to smile, the brightness of the neon sign now penetrating him._

_"Come on Tink, we're getting ice cream," he said loudly, receiving a confused look from the pixie._

_"We don't have time for this Jones," she sighed, exasperated._

_"We can't do anything about those lost files right now," he said, ignoring her protest and dragging her with him. "I promise I'll help you out with that later, but right now, let's go get ice cream."_

"_But _why_?" _

_The blond boy glanced back at her and grinned. "To cheer you up. I don't know about you, but a huge sundae with sprinkles and whipped cream and syrup always makes me feel better, especially if someone else pays for it."_

"_Did I hear that right? You're paying?" she asked, half incredulous and half teasing. Except for their first movie date, Freddy hadn't treated her to anything. Freddy thought he saw the corners of her lips curl upwards for the first time all day. Aha, he thought. Progress._

"_That's right, it's my treat," he responded, dropping her hand so he could drape an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "So shut up before I change my mind." _

_"Well, in that case," she replied, really smiling now. Freddy let out a laugh as she let him steer her towards the brightly lit store._

Smooth, if I do say so myself.

After that, I just as subtly asked her out to dinner a few times. If we weren't working too hard, I'd convince her not to cook take her out to a restaurant instead. If we were too busy, I'd call for delivery and pay for it before she could object.

"Are you sure you don't need another favor? This paying for stuff is getting a little creepy," she said once, while she, Billy and I gorged ourselves in glorious Chinese takeout.

Jackie also told me that bothering a little with how I looked would help.

Which brings me to my current situation on the floor of my bedroom, dripping wet from my shower and surrounded by discarded clothing as I tried to find a good enough outfit to wear when I go visit Summer today.

"Hmm," I murmured as I considered a beige-ish colored turtleneck sweater I found in the depths of my closet. It was a gift from my parents, I think. I shrugged to myself and pulled the sweater over my head, glad that the material wasn't itchy. I also pulled on a pair of black cotton pants over my boxers before I looked at myself in front of the mirror.

"Not bad," I said, grinning at my reflection. Not really my style, but isn't that kind of the point? At least it looked better than that whack vest-and-polo outfit Nana stuck me in several weeks ago. Ah well, this is good enough, I suppose.

Pulling on my black Vans, I glanced up at the wall clock. It read nine thirty AM. Good, Summer should be up and running by now. I quickly fixed my hair and spritzed on some cologne (a little more than usual) before I picked up my car keys and left.

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Whistling to myself, strode past the familiar metal doors of the elevator and strolled down the corridor towards Summer and Billy's unit. I raised my hand to press the doorbell when the door swung open, revealing a fully dressed Billy who stood on the other side.

"Morning Frilly," I said, nodding at him.

His thinly shaped brows rose as he looked at me from head to foot. I could tell he was wondering about my outfit of choice.

"I'm not even going to ask what that's about," he said finally, shaking his head. Well. At least he didn't look particularly horrified. He'd have already made a snarky comment if he hated the outfit.

"Where are you going?" I asked as he stepped back to let me inside the unit.

"I need run a few errands, and go grocery shopping. Summer wasn't able to do that this week, and we're fresh out of produce," Billy said, hovering near the doorway, ready to leave. "You can stay if you want, but don't make any noise. You might wake Summer up."

"Eh? She's still in bed?" I wrinkled my nose in confusion. "Isn't it a little late?"

"Poor girl was up all night again, trying to replace all those lost files," Billy explained. "She's a bit of a mess right now, to tell you the truth."

"Yeah, well, you would be too if you hardly slept all week," I shrugged.

"She'll probably sleep in all day," Billy sent a glance in the direction of Summer's bedroom. "I'd hate for her to spend her birthday like this, but I guess she needs to rest."

I nodded distractedly, and it took a few seconds for Billy's words to sink in.

"Wait, spend her _what_?"

Billy looked at me as though he thought I was crazy. "It's her birthday today."

"It can't be," I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest as I went over my mental calendar. "She never lets people forget that her birthday is coming up. She used to bug us all to get her a present at least a week before, remember?"

"You know I have this weird feeling that she forgot her own birthday," Billy clucked his tongue, shrugging to himself before glancing at his wristwatch. "I have to go. See you around, Wilfred." He began to pull the door closed behind him.

"Wait," I called after him, rushing forward and laid a hand on the door to keep it from closing.

"What now?" Billy disdainfully glanced over his shoulder at me.

"Aren't we going to…I don't know. Do something for her? I mean, it's her birthday," I added quickly when he flashed me a bewildered look.

"Hmm…Like what?"

"I don't know," I scratched my head hopelessly. Man, where was I when they were giving out brains and creativity for this kind of thing? I wouldn't know how to come up with an idea at such short—hey wait a minute…

"Hey Frilly," I said, an idea starting to take form inside my head. "What time will you be back?"

"Around one in the afternoon probably," he replied, raising a skeptical eyebrow at me. "Why? What did you have in mind?"

_'It could work_...' I thought as the details of my idea became clearer. '_It just might work...'_

"If I get her out of the apartment for the afternoon, do you think you can prep the place for a small party?" I went on, looking at Billy questioningly. He stared at me blankly for a moment before he caught on to what I'm thinking.

"A surprise party, huh?" Billy's mouth widened to an amused grin. "You think we have enough time?"

"It's not that big a party. We can just call for Chinese and stuff," I shrugged. "I'll invite Frankie, Eleni and Michelle, and you can invite Gordon. So? What do you think?"

Billy tapped his foot on the floor for a few seconds, thinking over my suggestion before he shook his head with a smile.

"Nice idea, Jones. I'm impressed," he chortled. "I'll see what I can do when I get back."

With that, he gave a dismissive wave and started down the hall towards the elevator. Calling out a goodbye to the queer dude, I shut the door carefully and turned back to face the apartment.

I crossed the living room, stopping in front of the entrance to Summer's room. Twisting the brass knob, I pushed the door open slightly, careful not to make a sound and peeked inside.

Summer lay curled up in the loveseat, still wearing the same clothes she wore yesterday, hair lying in tangles around her head.

_'Billy was right,' _I thought, bemused. _'She's a mess.'_

I crept inside the room, her patterned carpet muffling my footsteps as I approached her sleeping form. A hand clutching a sheaf of papers (review materials, not doubt) and a yellow highlighter was thrown over her stomach haphazardly. Her reading glasses, a now permanent fixture on her face, were perched askew at the tip of her nose. The laptop on her study desk was turned off, but the tiny blinking light below the LCD monitor told me that it was only on hibernate.

Shaking my head, I took the review papers from her hand and placed them on the study table beside the loveseat. Next I carefully lifted the glasses off her nosebridge so she wouldn't accidentally break them and laid them on top of the papers. Typical Summer, working late into the night until she passed out.

Her position on the loveseat didn't look very comfortable, but I couldn't think of a way to get her on her bed without waking her up so I just propped a few pillows under her head. Even in her sleep, she looked exhausted, I noted as I pushed the hair out of her face.

I bit back a smile. It was nice, having a change of roles for once. It's usually Summer who takes care of me, not the other way around.

Straightening up, I distractedly looked around her room, wondering what to do with my time while I waited for her to wake up. I had to get her out of the apartment, but for now, maybe I could let her sleep in a little longer.

I was thinking of just parking in front of the TV for the next hour or two when my stomach growled audibly.

Damn. I hadn't realized how hungry I was. I should've picked up some breakfast before I came here. Maybe I should order breakfast for Summer and myself, I'm sure she'd be just as hungry as I was when she gets up.

No wait…

_"Do something special for her,"_ Jackie had told me.

Forget takeout. I'll _make_ breakfast for Summer and myself.

Two cool ideas early in the morning…and on an empty stomach too. Sometimes, I can't believe my own brilliance.

Giving myself a mental pat on the back, left the room and strode over to the kitchen. I grabbed the apron that was hanging on a back of a chair and put it on.

'_Now let's see...'_ I thought, walking slowly around the small kitchen. My eyes fell on a bottle of maple syrup on the counter. Hmm…Pancakes seem like a good idea. Sure, I knew squat about making pancakes and cooking in general, but I think I know someone who can help me with it.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and flipped it open. Propping myself up on my elbows, I leaned back against the counter and dialed a familiar number.

"Hi Nana. Yeah, it's Freddy. No, I'm fine. No, I'm not in trouble. No I'm not in the hospital—Nana! I'm trying to tell you something here!" I said exasperatedly into the phone, cutting off Nana's usual worried grandma rants.

"Okay, listen Nana," I said when she finally relented and shut up. "Do you remember those pancakes I love so much? Yeah, yeah, that one. You think you can tell me how to make 'em? Yeah, now. Pleeeease, Nana? Okay, okay, I'm listening, just tell me what to do."

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**_Summer_**

I had no intention whatsoever of getting up at the moment, but a very annoying sliver of light from a nearby window is burning through my closed lids as though nagging me to get off my lazy ass.

I groaned and turned to my side, grabbing a pillow to cover my face, wanting very much to go back to sleep. I haven't gotten much sleep the past few weeks. With our exams drawing nearer than ever, our professors seemed to find it entertaining to give us as much work as they possibly can and watch us suffer through it all. They assigned us so many research papers, long tests and tedious projects that I'm this close to driving myself insane with all the work I had to do. So yeah, I need my sleep. Badly.

Curling into a ball, I burrowed deeper into the cushion to find a more comfortable position. I was starting to doze off again when a rather loud crash from the kitchen snapped me back into consciousness.

"Goddamnit!" I cursed irritably, hurling the pillow off my face and across the room.

What? I'm not cranky. Really, I'm not. Just very, very, very tired.

With the sleeping-all-day idea out of the question, I got up to a sitting position, rubbing out a rather painful crick on my neck and stretched out my arms. For a moment, I wondered what on earth I was doing on my loveseat instead of my bed. Only when I saw my glasses and review papers on the study desk did I remember that I was up until four in the morning, trying to finish reading our required text for the exams. I was itching for a shower, and I suppose that's because I'm still wearing the same clothes I did yesterday. (Note to self: Eww.)

Sliding my feet in my indoor slippers, I left the loveseat, carelessly gathering my hair up in a loose ponytail. The mirror on my bureau told me that my hair was anything but attractive, but whatever. It's not like there's anyone else to see me like this. The one causing all that racket is probably just Billy, since he's probably woken up hours before I did. I grabbed a towel and a change of clothes in my closet before leaving my room.

As I stepped out into the small hallway, the smell of frying bacon assaulted my nostrils, along with the clanging sound of pans and an angry stream of obscenities.

"Billy, what's the noise all about?" I'd meant to ask, but the question died in my throat. Something was amiss in the kitchen, which was right across my bedroom.

I blinked.

Was I seeing things? Maybe I was still asleep and dreaming. Yep, a dream would probably be enough to explain why instead of my queer housemate, a familiar blond wearing the white linen Shittake Happens apron is in my kitchen. And he appeared to be…cooking.

Yeesh.

I pinched my arm experimentally, and promptly grimaced in pain. Okay, so I wasn't dreaming. Then that would mean that Freddy really was cooking in my kitchen, his sleeves rolled up to the elbows, scowling at the stove and phone stuck in his ear.

"Shit, Nana, is it supposed to _do_ that?" he cried into the phone, which was sandwiched between his left shoulder and ear. He poked at the contents of the frying pan with a turner, his whole body rigid, as though afraid that the pan on the stove would suddenly attack. "I swear to god, this thing is still alive. Yeah? Then why is it still jumping around?"

"Freddy?" I voiced out, still quite astonished to see him there, let alone see him cooking. He jumped slightly upon hearing my voice, and glanced in my direction for a brief moment.

"Hey Tink," he said, somewhat frazzled. "Yes Nana I'm still here," he said into the phone, his eyes not leaving the stove. "Uh, Tink, why don't you go freshen up? I'm almost done here."

"Need any help?" I offered, sending an anxious glance over at him. The boy looked positively helpless.

"Nah, I got this," he said, waving the turner in the air. The contents of the pan crackled and sizzled. "Hey ow! _Fucking_ piece of meat!" he yelped in pain, pulling back his arm when a droplet of hot oil hit his hand.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah. Now take a shower or something, you look like you need it," he said, sparing me a smirk before he resumed his battle with the frying pan.

I watched him for a moment, dumbfounded yet amused at the same time. My kitchen was a disaster, there's no doubt about that, and I knew it would take me forever to get it back in order, but I couldn't help smiling in spite of myself. It's amazing to see someone look so ridiculous yet so adorable at the same time.

_'Wait,'_ I thought, the smile dropping off my face slowly. _'Did I just think that?'_

I shook my head, trying to ignore the heat that was slowly burning up my cheeks and the subtle churning of my stomach. I really must be hungrier than I thought, for me to come up with such a preposterous idea.

Yeah, that's it. Positively ravenous. _'I mean, really,'_ I thought, turning on my heel, heading towards the bathroom Billy and I shared. 'What else could it be?'

I shut the bathroom door behind me, propping my clothes on the sink and hanging my towel on a hook behind the door. Even as I undressed, I could still hear Freddy trying to murder my kitchen with his profanity.

_'If anything,'_ I thought as I reached out to turn the showerhead on, a mental image of Freddy in the apron popping into my mind. _'Waking up to see Freddy Jones first thing in the morning, even if he is completely destroying my kitchen for no apparent reason, is enough to make anyone smile.'_

I stopped abruptly, my hand stuck in midair, as my brain processed that last insight. Yet another stupid thought from Summer Hathaway. Where was I getting all these moronic ideas?

_'It's the stress,'_ I reasoned as I picked up a bottle of shampoo. Frowning, I noticed that I was almost out of shampoo, consequently forgetting all those earlier bizarre thoughts.

Quickly scanning my strawberry-scented hygiene products, I found out that other than the shampoo, the body wash and lotion bottles were almost empty too.

Darn. I really should drop by the drug store to replenish my supplies.

I forgot to do a lot of things after my Palm went haywire on me. Stupid little thing. Maybe I should just go back to planners of the non-electronic kind. These electronic types are killing my schedules.

Which reminds me…I also needed to stop by the electronics shop to check on my phone.

_'Ah damn it, I'll think about that later,'_ I thought shaking my head as turned the shower off and dried myself. The cursing had stopped, and so had the clattering from the kitchen, replaced by sounds that I surmised came from the television. I quickly got dressed in a well-fitting, v-necked button down blouse and jeans before heading back out to the living room, my towel wrapped around my head. Freddy stood in front of the couch, remote control in hand as he flipped from channel to channel. He turned around and grinned widely when he saw me.

"Hey," he said and motioned me over to the couch. "Mind if we eat here? The state of the kitchen's not really good for the appetite."

I didn't even have to look at the kitchen to agree. Didn't matter anyway, since he didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he sauntered back to the kitchen while I sank down on the couch.

On the coffee table in front of me were two breakfast plates, each with two slices of wheat toast, several pieces of fried bacon and I think that yellow blob in the side are scrambled eggs. To the side of each plate was a fork lying on top of a table napkin. I picked up the one nearest to me, and leaned forward on my knees, poking at the things posing as my breakfast.

The blackened corners of the bacon slices told me that they were a bit overdone. The scrambled eggs looked a bit runny. And…is that a piece of broken eggshell stuck to it? Making a face, I picked off the white remnant with my fingers. The buttered toast seemed okay though.

Well, all in all, the food didn't seem all-bad. It even seemed edible. It was just a little strange, Freddy's newfound interest in culinary arts.

He returned after a short while with a pitcher of orange juice in one hand, and two glasses in the other.

"Okay, I know you'd rather have coffee in the morning, but I think you've had enough caffeine for the week," he said as he set the glasses on the table and poured us each some juice. "What you need--" he handed me a glass "—is vitamin C."

My eyebrow popped up. I needed _vitamin C_?

"All right, what the hell are you up to now?" I demanded, unable to stop myself anymore. None of this is making any sense.

"What?" he asked, looking completely innocent.

"This!" I said, motioning at the mediocre breakfast he had laid out on the table. "You've never cooked anything in your entire life, unless you count boiling water for instant noodles, and suddenly, you come up with this. What's going on, Jones?"

"Why d'you always have to ask so many questions, huh?" Freddy replied, rolling his eyes as he peeled away the apron and flopped down on the couch beside me. "Billy left early, you were asleep, I was hungry and bored and I didn't want you yelling at me for waking you up to make breakfast, so I did it myself. That okay with you?"

Oh. All right so that made sense. I did have a fantastic temper in the morning, especially when I first wake up. But still.

"Okay, I'll let that one slide. But what about me needing vitamin C crap? When did you turn into Mr. Nutrition?"

"When you started stressing yourself out, falling asleep in class and getting those really freaky eyebags," he quipped, jabbing his pointer finger in my direction with a smirk. I touched my finger to the spot beneath my eye and scowled dejectedly at him, and he just grinned impishly at me. "Is it so wrong for me to look out for your health?"

I pressed my lips together, unable to find an appropriate response. .

"You get weirder by the day, you know that, don't you?" I remarked instead, my voice softening to show my appreciation.

"Yeah, whatever," he drawled, but permitted a smile back as well. "Can we eat now?"

We both started on our breakfast, chatting about nonsensical things and commenting on whatever we see on television as we ate (One Tree Hill is on, yay!), lapsing into comfortable silences every once in a while.

As I bit into my toast, I still can't help wondering if he was doing this to make up for...that incident on Halloween night.

The breakfast isn't the first weird thing he did the past few weeks, you know. Several times he insisted on taking me (and Billy if ever he was around; which he hardly was) out to lunch, instead of letting me bring our lunches like usual. Freddy said I already had too much to do without having to worry about what to feed him, and it was the least he could do. He does the same thing during dinner, only this time, he preferred to have the food delivered in my apartment so we could continue working while we ate.

I also caught him looking at me funny a few times. And then there was this whole, "you look…uhh…clean?" episode. Whatever the hell that was about.

I mean, okay, so he feels guilty about that kiss, but really he didn't have to all this for me. It's not really solely his fault.

But really, who was I to complain? I was the receiving end of his favors, wasn't I?

I heard him snicker from beside me, probably laughing at a commercial that was playing. Glancing over my shoulder at him, I watched as he wolfed down his food. Some white stuff was smeared on his cheek, maiming his otherwise flawless complexion. Flour, I think.

"You've got something on your face," I told him, simultaneously reaching over to wipe it away for him, wondering momentarily why he had flour on his cheek. The breakfast he made was all fried; none of them really required flour, did they?

At the same time, he turned his head in my direction, his lips brushing against my palm. I sucked in an involuntary gasp and I pulled my hand back abruptly, narrowly aware of the heat that was creeping up my neck and the increased pace of my heart.

"Is it gone?" he questioned, completely oblivious to my strange reaction. I squeaked a yes and turned my attention back to the _One Tree Hill_ rerun on the television.

_'For chrissakes, Summer, quit acting so jumpy!'_ I scolded myself. What was wrong with me? Its just Freddy. There's no need to panic everytime we make physical contact. It's not like there's anything new with that.

Ironically, the episode playing was the Halloween party in Tree Hill, reminding me once again of the party I attended not too long ago. _And_ the unexpected event that happened before the night ended: namely, the kiss.

Almost reflexively, I reached up and touched my bottom lip. The soft feel of his mouth, the insistent searching of his lips, the tightness of his embrace, the warm feeling in my chest while we kissed…it was all still very vividly etched in my memory.

I had a sudden urge to fan myself. My body temperature just rose several degrees, I think.

On the days that followed, we acted as though nothing out of the ordinary happened. At least, I did. He, on the other hand, began to act all funny and started to do things that he didn't normally do.

But really, nothing happened. It was just another stunt to drive Olivia away, we both agreed on that didn't we? So there really is no need to dwell on it. I suppressed a snicker. He must really dislike Olivia, for him to do something so desperate as to kiss me.

But sometimes, I get this weird feeling, a teeny tiny bubble of hope that it wasn't just a stunt.

_'Eh?'_ I thought, putting down my plate and fork back down to my lap. I hadn't realized that I finished eating already._ 'Of course it's just a stunt, and you're glad about that,'_ I told myself, trying to sound convincing.

"You done?" Freddy said, breaking into my thoughts.

I looked up from my lap with a startled jerk. "Yeah," I nodded, smiling at him. "Thanks for the breakfast Spazzy. I actually lived through it, congratulations."

"All thanks to Nana!" he chirped cheerfully, getting up on his feet to gather our used utensils. "My phone bill would probably be sky high now, though. Who knew giving instructions on frying bacon would take so freakin' long?"

Laughing, I helped him bring the plates and whatever else he couldn't carry back to the kitchen for clean up. He took charge of dishwashing, whistling merrily as he worked, while I cleaned up the rest of the (ahem, his) mess. As I wiped the counter, I noticed a plate of blackened flat things that looked a lot like pancakes. Wrinkling my nose, I poked at it with my finger. Yup. Pancakes, all right. Burnt pancakes, to be exact. I'd suppose this explained why he had flour on his cheek earlier.

I whirled around to ask Freddy what this was all about, and for the second time that morning, I fell speechless.

He was standing in front of the sink, by the window. Sunlight streamed in, landing on his form as though he was on spotlight, enhancing his features. His hair, I now noticed, wasn't spiked up with gel like it usually was. It looked as if he just mussed it up and left it as it was. I couldn't decide which hairstyle suited him better, if it even mattered.

He turned his head slightly in my direction, his eyes looking bluer than usual, and my breath hitched. His mouth seemed to be moving, as though he was telling me something, but I think my ears weren't working properly.

_'Is that a turtleneck? How come I don't remember seeing him wear one of those before?'_ was all my mind could process. _'He really should wear them more often; he looks absolutely ho—'_

"Hey!" I yelped suddenly when a spray of cold water (courtesy of Freddy) hit my face, breaking my train of thought. "What was that for!"

"I've been asking you what the hell you were staring at for the last twenty seconds, and you aren't answering," he said, one skeptical eyebrow arched at me.

"Oh. It's just—are those new clothes?" I asked him, fighting off a blush. I seem to blush easily these days.

"Huh? Oh, this?" he glanced down at himself briefly. "You could say that. Why, does it look bad?"

"No, no," I amended hurriedly. "I think it looks good on you, actually. I mean—yeah."

His mouth curved into a cheeky smirk when the blush that I was fighting off earlier won the battle.

"Yeah, I rather had the feeling that you did," he said. My jaw dropped in indignation, shocked by his audacity.

"God, Spazz, could you be more full of yourself?" I retorted, glaring at him before I turned back to finish cleaning up the counter. Arrogant bastard. I can't believe I just thought he was actually attractive.

Well, okay, he was attractive, but that didn't make him any less annoying.

Completely forgetting about asking him about the ruined pancakes, I went back to cleaning up the kitchen, all the while trying hard not to stare at the blond boy with me for too long.

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_**Freddy**_

We finished cleaning up relatively quickly. Summer found the burnt pancakes (yeah, that's why the breakfast menu changed from pancakes to bacon and toast), but for some reason, she didn't ask me about them.

All the while we were cleaning, I was trying to come up with an idea on how I could get her out of the apartment so Billy can prep it for the 'party' tonight. And on our way back to the living room, I found the solution. I picked up a stack of unpaid bills that were lying on the kitchen counter.

"Hey Summer," I called after her. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Huh?" she asked, whirling back around to face me. I waved the bills in the air and recognition dawned on her. "Oh _man_," she groaned, slapping a hand to her forehead. She stomped off into her room muttering to herself. Ah damn it, there goes the panic attack again. .

"Would you just chill, Summer?" I sighed, following suit, watching her pace back and forth her room as she looked for her purse and car keys.

"What do you mean, chill? I keep forgetting to do all these things! What the hell is the _matter _with me? Damn that Palm Pilot!"

I stepped in front of her, blocking her path, and placed my hands on her shoulders. She glared up at me defiantly.

"Snap out of it, Hathaway, you're having a breakdown again," I commanded, glaring right back at her, shaking her shoulders lightly. Her eyebrows shot up in slight surprise.

"You're right," she said finally, her shoulders slumping. I let go of her and she sank down on her loveseat.

"Okay, so you have a ton of things to do," I began, sitting down beside her. "Try to remember them, make a list, and we'll go do them today."

She blinked and then stared at me strangely for a moment.

"Do you know how weird that sounds?" she commented blandly.

"What does?"

"You making sense," she replied matter-of-factly before reaching out toward her study table for a notepad and pen. She scribbled furiously for about twenty minutes, pausing once in a while to think, and I remained seated beside her, listening to my iPod while I waited for her to finish. At one point, I stuffed one of the earphones in her ear so we could both listen to the music.

"I'm done," she said loudly upon finishing, recapping her pen.

"Lemme see," I said, snatching the notepad away from her so I could read what she wrote. The list contained the following:

_Pay the rent_

_Do laundry_

_Return library books_

_Withdraw money from the bank_

_Pay electric/phone bills_

_Go to electronics shop to check on phone and Palm Pilot _

_Go to the drugstore (pick up toiletries and tamps) _

_Go grocery shopping for the week_

"How fun," I commented dryly, handing the list back to her. "Why don't you add 'watch chess tournament and weather channel' in there, that sounds equally exciting."

Returning the earphone, she rolled her eyes and got up on her feet. "Whatever. You coming or what?"

"'Course I am," I said, following her out of the room. "We can't leave you alone without a working Palm Pilot. You'll run amok, and then who'll have to clean up your mess?"

"Very funny, Spazzy McGee," she retorted, as she locked up the apartment and made our way toward the elevators. "When I get that Palm Pilot back, you'll be so sorry you ever made fun of me."

We went through the first few items on the list using her car to get around (she said she hasn't driven in a while and she wanted to take her car out for a spin). Old Mrs. Casey, the landlady, said she was glad to see me again. I haven't seen her since that day when Summer came to check out this apartment for the first time, and Mrs. Casey thought we were a couple without plans for marriage. Hah. I remember my first reaction then was laughter, since I thought the idea was too ridiculous for words. Now though…

Well, let's just say views have changed.

Then we left her laundry in the laundry shop across the street for washing and pressing. She gave them an extra twenty bucks to have the clothes delivered back to her apartment when it was done.

When Summer went to withdraw cash from her joint account with her mother, I told her I'd wait for her in the car, and took that chance to call up our tentative party guests. Michelle, Eleni and Frankie were pretty easy to convince. They all said they'd make it so I gave them the directions to Summer's apartment.

We're at the mall right now, and she's standing in line to pay for her phone and electric bills. I stood a good distance away from her so I could call Billy to tell him that the apartment was now empty and he could go do his thing.

"—what time do you think you'll be finished?" I said into my mobile phone, checking every once in a while if Summer was still standing in line.

"Around five thirty, probably," he said. I glanced at my watch, which read two twenty. Okay that meant I had approximately three hours to fill. Damn. "Gordon said he already got tonight off, so he'd be able to make it," Billy went on.

"All right, cool. Call me if anything comes up, ayt?" I said before hanging up. When I glanced at the line, Summer was still just halfway to the front so I scrolled down my Phone Book to see who else I could invite. Zack's name was first in the School of Rock speed dials.

I grit my teeth, my thumb poised over the Dial button as I contemplated on whether or not I should tell Zack. If he came, Summer would be preoccupied for the rest of the night, that was for sure. He _was _Summer's boyfriend after all. I probably won't be able to get a moment alone with her.

But then if Zack showed up tonight, I think Summer would be really glad to see him.

So what if I won't get to talk to her? She'd be happy. That's what mattered, really.

With bitter resentment, I pushed the Dial button and ran my free hand through my hair as I waited for Zack to pick up.

The phone rang and rang but he never answered. I tried two more times and got the same result.

That was weird. Zack should've called to greet Summer happy birthday by now, right? Okay sure, Summer's phone was out of order, but if Zack had tried calling, then wouldn't he have called me and asked what's up?

I frowned at my phone for a moment before shrugging. Oh well. I tried.

I skimmed over my Phone Book again, and dialed Jackie's number.

"Hello?"

"Jackie," I said, holding the phone to my ear once more.

"Freddy?" she responded. "What's up kid?"

I rolled my eyes at the 'kid' reference, but went on all the same. "It's Summer's birthday today. Billy and I are holding a surprise party for her tonight. You think you and Nana could make it?"

"I could," Jackie said. "Not too sure about Nana, though. She has a scheduled kickboxing class tonight. But I'll ask her when I see her later."

"Okay, cool, I'll see you tonight then," I said. I was already planning to hang up when Jackie interrupted.

"Wait!" she said, a little too loudly that I had to pull the phone away from my ear.

"Way to puncture my eardrum there, Jackie," I said acidly.

"Sorry," she apologized quickly. "I just wanted to ask if you already got a present for her."

"What, isn't the surprise party enough of a present?"

"It is, I guess." I could almost see Jackie shrug in response. "But I think it's a good idea to get her something special for her birthday."

I was about to ask Jackie for ideas on what I could give Summer, but then I saw the pixie was already done with her errand and was already weaving through the crowd toward me.

"Ah shit, I have to go, I'll call you later," I whispered hurriedly into the phone and flipped it closed just as Summer walked up behind me. I quickly turned around.

"You done here?" I asked, and she nodded yes as when we began to start walking. "What's next on that list of yours?"

Summer pulled the notepad out of her pocket and checked the list. "Drugstore. I'm out of shampoo and body wash, and I'm nearly out of tampons."

"Goodness gracious, woman, I did _not _need to hear that!" I cried, covering my ears in mock horror.

Summer slapped my shoulder playfully. "Yeah right, as if you haven't played with those unused tampons when you were bored."

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. "Oh hey, Sum, you think you can hit the drugstore alone? I have to find something for…uhh…Jackie."

"Oh, okay," she said, looking a bit put out. "So I'll just see you later in my apartment then?"

"No!" I argued quickly. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I mean…I'll meet you in the electronics shop. Or if you finish there and I don't show up yet, wait for me in _Jukebox_."

Summer brightened slightly. "_Jukebox…_the record store near _Mystique?_"

"Yeah, yeah, that one."

"All right, I'll see you in a few," she said, waggling a few fingers before flouncing off in the direction of the drugstore. I waited until she disappeared around the next corner before I turned on my heel to start my search for the perfect present.

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_**Summer**_

I entered _Jukebox _around an hour later, after I'd finished getting everything I needed from the drugstore and went to check on my gadgets. Both my Palm and my phone were tucked safely in my purse again, although I have yet to see whether they were working properly. The guy in the shop assured me that they were both in perfect order. Hah, he'd _better_ be right if he knew what's good for him.

Walking past the other racks of CDs, I strode purposefully over to the Rock section and began to rifle through the CDs. I stopped briefly at a copy of _The Best of Metallica. _Metallica was a favorite band of Freddy's, right next to The Ramones, The Who and Greenday. I wondered for a moment whether I should get the CD for him…

I withdrew my hands from the rack, shaking my head. Why should I get anything for the guy? I didn't owe him anything. And besides, he probably had that CD already anyway. His music collection was vast.

I also found several copies of _School of Rock's _two albums, "_Little Legends_"which consisted of our cover versions of rock classics plus our first original single, and _"School's Out!"_ which had our original songs (mostly written by Dewey and Zack) plus a few revivals. With a smirk, I noticed how young the band looked in _Little Legends _(which was produced at the beginning of high school) even if they were decked out in full rock gear. I was silently thankful that I wasn't included in the CD's front cover, because at the time, it was the peak of my ugly duckling stage.

'_Freddy didn't seem to have an ugly duckling stage though…he always looked like this,'_ I thought as my gaze settled back on the CD cover. A blush spread across my cheeks when I comprehended what that last thought implied. I replaced the CD back into the rack.

Speak of the devil…where was he anyway? I've been here for at least twenty minutes now and still he hasn't shown up. Could he have ditched me?

…

Nah…he wouldn't do that. He might be a screw-up but, I just had this feeling that Freddy wouldn't ditch me for anything. That thought made me smile.

As though to prove that last statement, Freddy came bursting into _Jukebox, _half-running and slightly out of breath. He worriedly surveyed the store with anxious eyes until he found me standing by myself in the Rock section. Relief washed through his features then and he made his way to me, ignoring the saleslady who just came up to offer her assistance.

"Tink!" he managed to gasp out when he stopped in front of me, leaning forward on his knees. "Sorry—_gasp—_I'm—_gasp—_late."

I burst out laughing and reached out to ruffle his hair affectionately. The absence of gel felt weird in my fingers, but I rather liked the natural feeling of his textured locks.

"Snap out of it Spazz, you've gotta chill out," I said, trying to mimic his deep voice. He straightened up and laughed at the lame crack I made, absently browsing through the CD racks. "Did you get it?" I asked him.

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Get what?"

"You said Jackie asked you to get something for her," I said, returning his puzzled look. "What was it anyway? Looks like you had a hard time finding it."

I wasn't sure if it was just the weird lighting in the store that made Freddy's cheeks look that rosy all of a sudden.

"Nothing important, really," he mumbled, going back to leafing through the CDs. "I already have all these," he said to no one in particular. Stopping abruptly, he turned to face me. "What's next on the to-do list, Miss Hathaway?"

"Well…I already got my phone and Palm," I told him as we slowly walked down the aisles of _Jukebox _and left the shop. I tried to ignore the jealous looks that I was getting from the younger salesladies in the store. "All that's left now is grocery shopping."

Freddy looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think Billy said he was going to do that today. I saw him before he left this morning."

"So I guess that's it then, we can go home now," I chirped. Freddy didn't seem to find the proposition as enticing as I did, though, 'cause he stopped in his tracks and grabbed my elbow.

"You can't go home yet," he declared, his grip on my elbow loosening.

"I _can't_? Why?"

"Because…" he stammered. I felt my brow furrow with impatience. "Because you've been stressing all week and it's about time we had a little fun. We're already at the mall anyway, why not make the most of it?"

"But we've already done everything on the list--" I began to argue.

"Jesus Christ, Summer, can't you do anything that's not already pre-planned?" Freddy cut me short, his nose scrunched up incredulously, and I scowled at him. "Can't you just be spontaneous for once in your life?"

"Of _course _I can," I snapped at him.

He snorted. "Yeah? Name one thing you want to do right now in this mall that is not on your list." He crossed his arms on his chest and sneered. We were standing right in front of an escalator, and we were probably blocking the people's path, but I didn't care. I don't need everything planned out. I can be spontaneous. I _can._

I narrowed my eyes at him, and opened my mouth to respond…only to shut it again quickly. I couldn't come up with anything.

"I…" I began, my eyes hesitantly darting around to look for possibilities. My gaze landed on a large Floor Plan of the mall that was posted on a sign near the escalators. With a triumphant grin, I looked back at Freddy.

"Well, there is one thing I haven't done in a long time…"

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_**Freddy**_

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

Summer grabbed my hand and proceeded to drag me with her. As obediently as I could, I dug my heels into the carpeting of the lobby, trying hard not to run in the other direction.

"_No,_" I repeated stubbornly.

Summer sighed, frustrated, and put her hands on her hips. "This is getting ridiculous, Freddy."

"Exactly," I pointed out. "So let's just get out of here."

"_You_ were the one who didn't want to go home yet, and you said we should do something else before we leave."

Me and my big mouth.

"I _know_ that," I spat, glaring at everyone who walked past. "But I didn't think you would take me _ice-skating _of all things. I mean, how lame can you get?"

Yep, you heard right, Summer had indeed brought me to an ice skating rink. As of the moment, we were standing in the center of a lobby, right in front of the counter where we can rent ice-skates. The woman behind the counter had been eyeing us with mild curiosity and amusement since we arrived.

"It's _not _lame!" Summer argued. "I used to ice-skate all the time when I was a kid!"

"Like I said," I shrugged, and held out my hands. "Lame."

"You're annoying," she made a face. "Come _on _Spazzy, I really, _really_ wanna go ice-skating. _Please_?"

She looked at me pleadingly, hands clasped together as though in prayer, her warm chocolate eyes wide, and her mouth arranged in a pout. A pout! Fuck, does she have any idea how unbelievably sexy that is? Oh _man. _

"I--" I stuttered, trying to find my voice. Then, with a sigh, I shook my head, defeated. "Fine."

Goddamned hormones got the best of me again. It's just so fucking unfair.

"Yes!" she cheered, pumping a fist in the air, eyes sparkling excitedly. She gave me a quick hug before bouncing off toward the counter so we could rent our skates. I snickered, amused at how childish and carefree she was acting right now. Summer rarely acted like this, but it isn't so bad, really. I followed her and told her to go wait for me on the benches while I paid for our rented skates.

"Why don't you want to go skating anyway?" she asked when I handed her a somewhat ratty pair of size sixes. She unzipped her boots and slipped them off before proceeding to put on the ice skates.

"I just…don't like skating," I grumbled, staring at my own size twelves like it was an alien life form. When I looked up, Summer was smirking madly at me, looking as though she was trying hard not to laugh.

"What are you looking at?" I questioned, kicking off my black Vans so I could put my skates on too.

"You don't know how to skate, do you Freddy?" Summer replied, that ridiculous smirk still on her lips.

I colored slightly and busied myself by tying up the laces. "'Course I don't. I told you, ice skating is lame," I said, trying to sound casual. In reality though, I hated admitting I couldn't do something as simple as this, especially if I had to admit it to Summer.

"I knew it," she shrugged, giggling softly. "No need to sound so defensive, Jones. I just thought it was weird that you could skateboard but you can't ice skate."

"Skateboarding is different," I announced. "It's cool."

Summer rolled her eyes. "All hail the almighty god of coolness," she said bitingly as she got up on her feet and balanced herself on the blades. "Come on, I'll teach you how to ice skate so you won't feel so inadequate," she glanced back at me, grinning mockingly.

"Very funny, Tinkerbell," I retorted and finished lacing up my skates.

Laughing, Summer held out her hand and offered to help me up. I got on my feet, wobbling slightly. Summer caught me by the arm.

"Don't worry Spazzy, I won't let you fall," she teased, her hands gripping my upper arms to hold me steady. I looked down at her, her eyes shining with mirth and mouth spread in a relaxed grin.

"I think it's a little too late for that, Tink," I blurted out in a whisper, talking about something else altogether.

"What?" she asked, eyeing me questioningly.

"Nothing, nothing," I amended quickly, waving the thought away. "So how do you do this, exactly?"

"Well, it's just like skateboarding, I suppose," she began as she led the way towards the ice. Several people were already in the rink, doing figure eights and other fancy twirls.

"That doesn't look like skateboarding to me," I remarked.

"What I _mean_ is," Summer went on, raising an eyebrow at me. "--that it's exactly like skateboarding, because all it requires is balance."

"Right, whatever," I muttered. This was a bad idea, I was pretty sure of it. "Let's get this over with, then, Hathaway."

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_**Summer**_

We went back to my car after an hour and a half of ice-skating. I had the time of my life. Skating was one of my favorite things. Skating on smooth ice made me feel like I'm gliding on air, almost like flying. I haven't really had a chance to do that for so many years so I'm amazed I still knew how to skate and do a few tricks on the ice.

Freddy, on the other hand, didn't seem to have as much fun as I did.

Well, that may be because Freddy's as bad as skating as he's good in drumming. It seemed to me that the ice had a magnetic pull on his butt. I've never seen anyone wipe out as much as he did.

"Summer, you fucking liar," he grunted as he collapsed in the passenger seat of my car.

"What?" I asked, struggling to keep my face straight when images of his booboos flashed through my mind.

"'Exactly like skateboarding,'" he muttered disdainfully, shooting me a death glare. "What a load of bullcrap. Skateboarding is _nothing _like that. For one, skateboarding does not include having to fall on my ass repeatedly, making me all black and blue and purple. Skateboarding never made me feel this fucking sore."

I rolled my eyes as maneuvered my car, taking the familiar route back to my apartment. "Honestly Spazz, you can be such a whiner sometimes!"

"I tend to be extremely whiny when my ass has a bruise the size of Texas," he said and proceeded to plug his iPod to my stereo. He chose a playlist and pressed _Play. _AC/DC's _Back in Black _began to play and he leaned back in his seat, looking satisfied. "Where'd you learn how to skate like that anyway? I wouldn't know really, but you seemed pretty good on the ice."

"My elder sister and I used to do ballet and we got really into ice-skating," I told him. We exchanged a bit of small talk during the ride back to my house, once in a while stopping to sing along to Red Hot Chili Peppers and Greenday. I blushed slightly when The Darkness's _Growing on Me_ played though. Go figure.

We both greeted the doorman when we entered the apartment building and then took the elevator up to my unit. As we ascended, Freddy grew increasingly quiet, and seemingly anxious. He couldn't keep still. He kept drumming his fingers against his pants, his lower lip squashed between his teeth.

I couldn't help myself from asking anymore. "What's up with you?"

Freddy all but jumped a foot when he heard my voice. "Huh? What d'you mean?"

I rolled my eyes at him before rummaging my bag for my keys. "You're all twitchy. What's with you?"

"Oh, nothing," he said a bit too quickly. Ooohkay. I chose to ignore the weird behavior for now and went on to unlock my apartment door.

"Oh hey Summer," he said softly in my ear just before I pushed the door open. I looked up at him questioningly. "I think there's something else you forgot."

He was grinning, and there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye that told me he knew something I didn't.

"Which is?" I urged him to go further. Instead of answering me though, he grinned at me knowingly and pushed the door open himself.

"Happy Birthday Summer!"

I was smothered in confetti and hugs before I could fully comprehend what was going on. The people who hugged me, who turned out to be Billy, Michelle and Eleni, pulled back to give me room to breathe. Gordon and Frankie were standing in my living room, applauding and grinning.

There were several pizza boxes on the kitchen counter and some simple appetizers on our dinner table. I looked back at Freddy, who was still leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed on his chest and grinning broadly at me. After a few moments, I began to understand.

"It's my _birthday?_" I asked no one in particular.

"Yes silly, I can't believe you actually forgot!" Billy crowed, handing me a glass of champagne. Billy, along with Eleni and Michelle launched into chatter immediately as they pushed me further into the room. Freddy followed soon after, kicking the door closed behind him.

"Hey watch it!" snapped a familiar snooty voice. The voice belonged to none other than Jacqueline Jones.

"You should really learn to be more attentive, Freddy. You almost crushed my hand with a freakin'_ door_," she said, her tone acerbic as she entered my apartment. Michelle gave a sudden squeak and scuttled away to hide behind Frankie.

"Glad you made it sis," Freddy laughed, ignoring his sister's foul disposition.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. And then she caught sight of me. "Sunny!" she exclaimed, strutting over to give me a one-armed hug (as her other hand was carrying a small wrapped package), her stiletto boots clacking noisily on the floor. "Happy birthday, sweetie!" she said, pulling back to smile at me.

"Thanks Jackie," I grinned back at her, silently reminiscing how afraid I was of her when I first met her.

"Nana said she really couldn't miss her kick-boxing class tonight, but she sends her love," Jackie told me. "She also sent this for you. I think she called it…Chocolate Oblivion?" she frowned, trying to remember something as she handed me the package she was holding. "Anyway, that's two layers of chocolate cake with chocolate icing and praline and walnut topping thingies and other stuff I can't really pronounce, but trust me. It's heavenly."

"Oh wow," I said, carefully placing the box on the counter.

"Yeah well, that's Nana for you," Freddy shook his head, laughing.

"Anyways, what's for dinner? I'm starving!" Jackie said, looking around for food.

"Come on, let's get you something to eat," Freddy spoke up, leading his sister toward the kitchen. He glanced at me before he left. "Want anything, Tink?"

I shook my head no. "Maybe later. Thanks Spazz." He smiled appreciatively before going after Jackie.

"Summer! Come on over here!" Eleni motioned me over to where she and the others were sitting. I obliged and went to sit next to Michelle who was cowering next to Frankie.

"Oh god, I never thought I'd see her again!" she moaned, looking completely terrified.

Frankie looked puzzled. "Who?" he asked. "Freddy's sister? You've met her before?"

"Yeah," Michelle said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I met her during that short time I dated Freddy all those years ago. It was _horrible, _I'm telling you."

She shuddered as she recounted the horrific details of her brief encounter with Ms. Jones. I got a sudden urge to laugh. So this was what Jackie was talking about when she said she reduced Freddy's other girls to tears.

"Oh you don't have to worry about her anymore," Billy assured her, giggling as well when Michelle finished the story. Gordon got on his feet.

"I'm getting more champagne. Anything I can get you Billy?" he asked the chestnut-haired queer beside me. Billy asked for another cucumber sandwich and Gordon went to get their refreshments, giving Billy's hand a squeeze before he left.

"Oh my god, you two are so unbelievably cute together!" Eleni squealed, shaking Billy's shoulders.

"You mean you're not weirded out by this at all? Didn't you use to date Gordon before?" Billy asked the blonde.

"It wasn't anything serious, really. I just thought he was cute and tried asking him out," Eleni admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "Guess that's why we never got around to doing it."

We all burst out laughing.

"How about you Frankie? How're you taking all these new…developments?" I asked Frankie teasingly. As part of security, he used to work in close contact with the roadies, and that involved Gordon. They weren't exactly tight, but they were friends. He had always been a bit of a homophobe, so I wondered whether or not he's as freaked out with Gordon's coming out as he was when Billy did.

Frankie sighed. "Yeah well, there's nothing I can do about it now, anyway so might as well be happy for our two queers."

They all launched into another conversation, but instead of participating, I just chose to just listen. I still can't believe that they were here to celebrate my birthday with me…and that I forgot my own birthday too for that matter. I suppose it's the stress.

But wouldn't someone have reminded me about it? My parents for example? Or Zack?

Then again, my phone _had _been unavailable these past few weeks. They must've tried reaching me but couldn't get through. And I haven't gone online to check my e-mail for some time now.

"You okay Sum?" Billy nudged me with his shoulder.

I smiled at him. "Yeah. I was just thinking of how amazing it was of you to pull this off for me," I told him, smiling gratefully. "Thanks Billy."

"No problem, honey," he whispered, kissing me on the cheek and giving me a light hug. "But you know, this was all Freddy's idea."

"It was?" I twisted my neck, trying to locate Freddy in the apartment. He was leaning forward on the kitchen counter, lighting up nineteen tiny candles on the cake Nana made for me as he chatted animatedly with Jackie.

"Yep. I was on my way out this morning, and I was really planning on letting you sleep in the whole day 'cause I thought you needed the rest," Billy explained. "He planned the whole thing in like a minute. I just helped him out."

"That's…incredible," I said, feeling speechless and just a bit light-headed. Why'd he do it though? I knew he wanted to make it up to me because he screwed up on Halloween night, but this…this was just too much.

"I never thought I'd say this but that Freddy," Billy went on. "He's not really all that bad. He's kind of good guy, now that I think about it."

I watched the candlelight dance across Freddy's face as he laughed. When he looked away from Jackie, he caught my eye and smiled at me. Not smirked, nor sneered, but smiled. I smiled back at him, feeling so happy that I actually felt my eyes go blurry.

"Yeah," I said softly. "He really is."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_**Freddy**_

It was already past twelve midnight, and the "party" was starting to draw to a close. Jackie had already left two hours ago, saying she had to get back home to make sure Nana remembered to take her meds. Michelle seemed to be very relieved to see her go. Well, I guess I'd feel the same way if I were her. Jackie had probably damaged that girl for all eternity, what with all the bitching she did on her a few years ago when we dated for a while.

Right now, Eleni and Michelle were hugging Summer goodbye. Michelle said she had a fashion shoot at ten tomorrow and Frankie said he had training again in the morning so they had to leave already. Billy and Gordon had already disappeared into a room doing god-knows-what.

"Thanks for coming guys, I really appreciate it," Summer was saying as she bid the last of the guests goodbye. They assured her that it was no problem, and promised that they'd visit again soon. The three of them yelled goodbye at me, both Michelle and Eleni blowing me kisses before they trooped out the door.

Summer gave them one last wave and shut the door, leaving the two of us alone. _Finally_. I've been waiting for the right moment to give my present to her, but I just couldn't get her alone long enough.

My heartbeat began to pick up pace as I watched her make her way back to the kitchen where I was shoving the used pizza boxes and plastic cups into a trash bag. That was good thinking on Billy's part, making use of disposable kitchenware. It made the clean up so much easier.

"Spazz, you don't have to do that," she said, trying to take the trash bag from me. I snatched it out of her grasp and smirked at her.

"Too late, Tinky, I'm already almost done," I told her. She rolled her eyes and picked up what was left of the cake instead, putting it inside the refrigerator. I threw the rest of the trash inside the bag, fully intending to bring the trash outside.

"Seriously, Spazz, leave it," she repeated, trying to take the bag again from me, this time succeeding. "I'm pretty sure you're tired too. You should head on home; get some rest. I'll finish cleaning up in the morning."

"If you insist." I heaved an exaggerated sigh. She knotted the garbage bag and left it in a corner before washing her hands on the sink. I imitated her, washing my hands as well and wiped them on a dishtowel.

"Hey Freddy?"

"Hmm?"

Summer was biting her lip and staring down at her shoes, as though too shy to look at me.

"Thanks. For today, I mean," she began, her voice so quiet that I had to strain my ears to hear her. "And not just for the party, which Billy said was your idea by the way," she paused and gave a nervous chuckle. "Thanks for cheering me up too. I really needed it."

I ruffled her hair playfully and smiled down at her. "Now wait just a minute there, Tink," I said, shoving a hand inside my pocket until my fingers closed around the tiny velvet pouch that contained my gift. "I'm not quite finished yet. Give me your hand," I instructed. She gave me a baffled look but held out her hand all the same. I tipped the velvet pouch over and the content spilled itself onto her palm.

A white gold necklace with a delicate chain now sat glittering on Summer's hand. The pendant was a winged fairy sitting on a crescent moon, holding a tiny yellow topaz. It was the same necklace she and Jackie were swooning over at the mall. It took me a long time to figure out what to get for her and I was _this _close to driving myself crazy when I accidentally passed by the jewelry shop.

The puzzled expression on her face was replaced by an astonished one. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth opened and closed as though she was desperately searching for words but couldn't find any.

"Freddy…" she breathed, holding the necklace up in the light in awe. "You didn't have to…"

"Yeah, but I wanted to," I said, surprised that my voice came out steady and casual.

"Was this what you were searching for at the mall this afternoon?" she questioned and I nodded sheepishly.

"Yeah," I said, taking the necklace from her. "Turn around, I'll help you put it on."

She obliged and turned until her back was to me, gathering her hair over one shoulder. Goosebumps rose where my fingers brushed against the skin of her neck, but I hardly noticed. My hand shook slightly, making it difficult for me to fasten the clasp. I managed to do it without any injuries though.

"Done," I said when I finished. "Like it?"

"_Like_ it?" she laughed softly, turning around, finally finding her voice. She touched the pendant on her neck, before looking up at me. "It's beautiful, Freddy. I love it!"

And suddenly, Summer stood on tiptoes to press her lips on my cheek, dangerously close to the corner of my mouth before she curled her arms around my neck. I was too stunned to move at first, my senses cloudy with the scent of strawberries. After getting over the initial shock, I smiled and put my arms around her waist in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Freddy," she whispered, her breath warm on my ear. I shivered slightly. It took every ounce of my restraint for me to keep myself from kissing her right now.

I buried my face into her hair instead and held onto her, hoping that she won't notice that I don't want to let go of her anymore.

"Happy Birthday Summer."

_To be continued…_

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**Author's Notes:** So yeah, I know you people are probably getting annoyed by all the filler-like chapters I've been coming up with, I'm sorry. I had to do it to give everyone a clear picture of just how much time has already elapsed and the development of feelings between them. I had a lot of fun with this chapter though; spent quite a lot of time giggling like a maniac with saicho-18 while we thought up stuff that Freddy could do for Summer.

That stressful week of Summer's is a bit based on my own experience. I had exams, a musical for Lit, health center duty and a ten-hour road trip to and from a province for community service, which is why I barely had time to squeeze in sleep, let alone edit this chapter.

I got the idea of Summer forgetting her birthday from the second chapter of _'Of love and many, many other things' _by ellinaHOPE. A very cute oneshot, that.

_Growing on Me_ by The Darkness is basically the soundtrack for this chapter. If you know the lyrics, you'll see why.

Fret not, this is the last of the fillers. Starting next chapter, things get more interesting, a little more serious and a little less fluffy as we delve deeper into the plot.

And if anyone didn't notice, Zack didn't call Summer on her birthday.

**Up next: Chapter 15 The Faces of Temptation  
**Zack revisits to plan the performance on Dewey's wedding with Freddy. Two suspicious phone calls from the same person causes the guitarist to act weird, causing a rift between Zack and Summer.


	15. The Faces of Temptation

**What You Least Expect  
- endymion -**

_**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
**_**EpisodeSkywalker:** You honestly don't know Veronica Mars? Eh well, she's like Nancy Drew, or something. I'm not really a fan of the show, and all I know is she does a bit of detective work, and she goes around with her camera a lot.  
**deviocity:** hah, yeah, the poor boy is whipped. Summer heard it, but just wasn't sure what it meant.;p  
**Gothic Ghost:** oh yes, the age thing. I think I mixed up a few of 'em. They're all roughly around the same age. Let's just say that Freddy's birthday comes earlier than Summer's.  
**Sianne Kirsty:** Yeah, I love that show too. But honestly speaking, I like the show because of the women there. I love Peyton's sarcasm and _everything_ about Brooke. Lucas and Nathan are beyond hot, but their characters aren't as lovable as I would like. I do so wish that they would hurry up and show the 4th season here already, though. And not that it matters, but I'm a total Lucas/Haley shipper. As far as I'm concerned, they're made for each other.  
**Nanners-77:** Stop it girl, don't make me blush too much. ;p Anyhoo, sorry 'bout that 2nd worst day of school. I wouldn't know what it's like to have a stubborn locker as I've never really used one before, but I take your word for it. And I know what you mean about finding someone like, well, my Freddy. I guess that's partly why I wrote him this way, he's sort of an ideal guy for me. You loathe ZS, really? I'm all right with it, but it'll never be my favorite shipping. Duh. They're sweet, ideal, but a little too boring when compared with FS. Knock yourself out on going emo in this chapter. (And by the way…what is wyverna's A/N all about? People are being mean to you? No problem, let's go kick their asses.)  
**Kisshu-luv:** Oh you don't have to worry about Freddy becoming a goody-two-shoes. I stuck him in that turtleneck because I loved the way Kevin Clark looked in the movie when he had the turtleneck on. The suggestive shirts, no I didn't make 'em up, I see slogans like that in malls and stuff. I don't think I have enough creativity (and sexual experience, probably) to come up with 'em on my own.  
**i am not a chipmunk:** oh dear, as much as I would love to kick Zack's ass to get him off the picture, I just can't. It would so screw up the plot, ya see. But I hope you still like the way the story will unravel, as we're almost 75 percent done with the story. Anyway, I already read the new chapter, and I'd like to say again how much I love you for finally updating.  
**Felons Dictation:** You're going on hiatus? Well that's sad news. But I understand what you mean about schoolwork. It's shitty, but we all have to deal. I hope you won't be gone for too long, though, I really wanna know what happens next in _In Time.  
_**LivingStoneLily:** Easy on the peanut butter cups now honey. They're heavenly, but they go straight to the hips. Trust me on this one. Maybe that's why Casper loves 'em so much; he doesn't have hips anymore, does he? ;p  
**D.M.Ralte:** You actually aimed for 201? Well, that's unique, that's for sure. Update soon why don't you?;p

And mucho thanks to **whatever101, maddster, Calli, Blueberry23, debbiegirl, lilyflowr33, ilovestrawberries, Kevin'sQT, ErclaireER, Delilah** and everybody else who's reading but not reviewing. We've reached 200+ reviews people! I love you all!

**Disclaimer: **School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_**Note:** _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV.

_**Warning:** _I would just like to inform everyone that** I do not know how to play the drums**, so when you get to…err…_that_ part, just read it and I hope you appreciate the effort, and not bitch like 'that's not how you do it' or 'you can't teach someone to play drums that way' or whatever. You'll see what I'm talking about later.

On with the story!

**Chapter 15: The Faces of Temptation **

_**Freddy** _

Have you ever had one of those days when a sun is shining obnoxiously brightly, and usually it annoys the hell out of you because it shines in your eyes and hurts like a bitch but for some reason, it doesn't? Instead you can't stop yourself from smiling like a complete and utter fool and an idiotically happy song keeps playing in your mind over and over and over again. And you're not even irritated that the song is stuck in your head. In fact, you're even happy that it's there.

Today's one of those days.

I was lying haphazardly in my bed, my legs dangling off the edges while one hand held the phone close to my ear.

"Okay, so I'll pick you up 'round five thirty? The concert starts at—" I paused, lifting my ass off the bed slightly to pull two tickets out of my jeans' back pocket and read the inscription at the bottom. "Seven. We could grab a quick dinner before we go."

"Sounds great," the voice on the other line said, sounding almost as inanely cheerful as I was. It only made my smile grow wider still. If that was even possible. "I'll see you tonight then, Spazzy."

"Yeah. Later, Tink."

Yeah, I was talking to Summer. Who the hell did you think? And yes, we are going out tonight. The semester is over, and we were free to leave for Christmas break. But before we leave for Manhattan tomorrow, we're going to see the in-campus Battle of the Bands to celebrate the end of Finals Week (or Hell Week, as I lovingly called it) and my surprisingly high scores on the exams. And oh, Summer's grades were, as always, almost perfect. (Whoa, _big_ surprise there. Snort.)

Neither of us really said so, but I'd venture to say that tonight is a full-fledged date. At least, for me it is.

Upon hanging up, I looked up to check my wall clock and found out that I had a few more hours before I had to get ready for my date (and there goes the stupid smile again) with Summer. I'd already sauntered over to my bedside table and grabbed my drumsticks, planning on spending the next hour or so on my drums, when my doorbell sounded off.

Huh. Who could that be? It can't be Summer. The girl was always unbelievably _prompt _yeah, but she's never this early.

When I finally reached the door and pulled it open, I all but ogled at the shaggy haired person in my doorway.

"Zack? What are you doing here?" I asked, rather bluntly. As far as I could recall, neither Zack nor Summer had told me anything about him coming.

"Hey man," he nodded at me in greeting. Mouth slightly gaping open, I stepped back to let my best friend inside my apartment. "Sorry for just barging in like that."

"Is that all your stuff? Where's your guitar?" I wondered aloud, eyeing the black mailbag on his shoulder, which was apparently the only luggage he brought with him. He set it down on my couch, the many buttons featuring his favorite bands decorating its straps.

"Well we're already on Christmas break since yesterday and my dad came to pick me up," he explained. "I told him I wanted to stop over, so he went back to New York with my other stuff. He's been pretty lenient with me lately, weirdly enough."

"Oh," was all I could say, not even finding his dad's sudden leniency with him interesting. "So you're here to see Summer, I presume?" I asked him, glaring at the button with Kurt Cobain's impassive face.

For a fleeting moment, Zack just gave me a strange look, and I thought it was because he noticed the biting note in my voice. But then…

"Actually, I wanted to work on our set list for Dewey's wedding so we could start practicing once everyone's back in Manhattan," he said slowly, sitting himself on the three-seater couch next to his bag. "But I guess I could go see her later. Then we could go back to New York together tomorrow. You _are _on vacation now too, right?"

All I could do was nod. All of a sudden, the sun's brightness is annoying again, and the music just stopped playing.

* * *

"Okay, so we'll do Guns 'n' Roses, Ramones, The Clash, ACDC, Led Zep of course," Zack ticked off one band name after the other on the pad paper he was scribbling on. He was sitting cross-legged on my bed, hunched over the set list while I straddled my computer chair, my chin propped on it's back.

Zack leaned over and reached for the iPod in front of him, which was hooked on the speakers, and scanned the playlists. "We could do Deep Purple and Sabbath too, but Nirvana, I'm not so sure. Bit depressing for a wedding, don't you think? And Motorhead is out of the question. Way too loud."

I shrugged. "Sounds good, I guess."

"Oh, we have to get The Beatles and The Eagles in here too, Dewey said Carrie loves them," he added under his breath, scribbling furiously away, too caught up in his own world to notice my lack of enthusiasm. I didn't mind too much that he was practically ignoring me; I was kind of used to it. When he's in his musical genius mode, he hardly notices the things around him.

We've been talking about the songs we could play at Dewey's wedding reception, deciding on which of Dewey's favorite bands we could rock out to without being too loud for the other non-rock generation. We came up with a pretty long list already. Zack said he might take lead vocals, with Katie, Tomika, Alicia and Marta on backup, since Dewey would probably be too busy to play with us on that day. We also decided to give Tomika, Alicia and Marta each a solo performance, if they were up for it. They could sing the slower songs for the dances too, if it's cool with them.

I would've been psyched to do this song-searching thing, if I hadn't been glancing at the clock every five minutes. I only have an hour and a half to decide on what to do about my date with Summer. Now that Zack's here, I can't very well push through with it, can I?

Fuck it. And I'd been looking forward to it all week.

I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair in frustration. Zack paused, pencil stuck in midair, to give me a questioning look.

"What's with you man? You've been acting weirder than usual," he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Nothing," I shook my head, trying to get back on track. "So the list is final then?"

"Pretty much," he nodded, tearing off the sheet he was writing on and handed it over to me. I skimmed over it quickly, nodding my approval once I read the titles and band names.

"All we have to do now is have Summer schedule the practices and inform everyone, and we'd be all set," he continued, twirling his pencil with his fingers.

I froze at the sound of Summer's name. Surely he didn't notice that it was his girlfriend who had been plaguing my mind the whole time he was here? Standing up abruptly, I shoved the songlist back into Zack's hands, unable to look at him in the eye.

"I need a break," I said and left my room so quickly that Zack didn't have time to respond. I wandered listlessly into my kitchen and flopped down onto a chair, setting the two tickets for Battle of the Bands on the dinner table in front of me. The brightly colored flame design that was licking the tickets' edges was glaring at me mockingly. I picked them up, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do with them now.

"What a waste," I whispered to the empty air, giving the tickets a last wistful look before pocketing them. Maybe I should just give my ticket to Zack, and have him go with Summer. It would be a shame if I just threw them away…and maybe Summer would enjoy the show more if she's with her boyfriend. The real one.

I chuckled, laughing at how bitter I was becoming, before getting back up on my feet and headed toward my bedroom.

My bedroom door was hanging slightly open, so Zack's voice was easily audible as I approached. He was talking to someone, on the phone I presumed.

"Katie, come on, you've got to calm down, I can hardly understand you," he was saying. I peeked in the crack in the doorway and saw Zack with his mobile phone in his ear, his back to the door. "Take a deep breath, there you go…now. What results are you talking about?"

I was a good four feet away from Zack and his phone, but even from here I could hear the distress in Katie's voice as she relayed her problem to the guitarist. I couldn't actually understand what she was saying, but it sounded like it was a big deal. Well. It seemed like it _was _a big deal for Zack, seeing as all the color had already drained from his face as he collapsed on my gray-cushioned swivel chair. The silence stretched on, only broken by Katie's muffled sobs and Zack's heavy breathing.

"Positive?" he croaked finally, his hand trembling slightly. He was clutching his phone so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. "Are you sure?"

I slumped sideways against the wall separating my room from the living room where I was standing, my heartbeat quickening with a growing sense of dread and suspicion. Why do I have a feeling that I wasn't supposed to hear this conversation?

Zack sucked in his breath. "Okay, Katie, listen to me, this is what you're going to do," he began, his voice growing steadier. "Go to the clinic and get a re-test, just to be sure. Call me back when you get the results, and we'll go from there."

He was quiet for a while, listening to whatever Katie was saying, before he nodded slowly.

"I know," he sighed. "I didn't think it could happen too. But we'll get through this, somehow. I won't let you face this alone."

Katie mumbled something that sounded awfully like "What about Summer?"

Another deep breath from Zack. "I don't know, Katie. I don't know. I'll figure something out," he said, squeezing his eyes shut and massaging his temple. I did not like the sound of this. Not at all. "I don't think I can tell her yet. But I will. Okay. Call me later, 'aight? Okay. Bye."

A soft snapping sound told me that Zack already hung up his cell. I reentered the room, but in his misery, Zack didn't seem to notice my presence. His elbows were propped on his knees, head in his hands, cursing under his breath and looking extremely problematic.

"You okay, man?" I dared ask. He looked up and peered at me through his fingers.

"Fine," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Just. Fine."

* * *

**_Summer_**

"Billy! Help!" I wailed in agony.

A crashing noise from the other room answered my plea, followed by a disgruntled Billy who appeared suddenly in my doorway, alarmed and breathless.

"What? What's going on?" he asked, eyes scanning my room for possible signs of danger. I looked up at him with big, pleading eyes and held out a small black cylinder of liquid eyeliner with a shiny silver _Revlon_ logo.

"I messed up," I said sheepishly, gesturing at the less-than-perfect makeup job I'd done on myself. I could compute for the country's gross national product in five minutes, but learning to do my own makeup would probably take a year. Honestly they should teach these things in high school. It's more complicated than it seemed.

Billy ogled at me disbelievingly, an almost exasperated look on his face.

"That's _it_?" he said, and I just grinned, trying to look as innocent as I could. He rolled his eyes and snatched the cylinder out of my hand. "I _told _you to leave the liquid eye to the professionals."

"Sorry," I muttered as he dabbed some makeup remover on my lids to erase the sloppily done lines.

My eyes were closed, but I sensed the amusement in his sigh as he fixed my makeup. "What's gotten into you anyway?" he asked.

"Nothing really, just going to the Battle of the Bands with Freddy tonight."

"Why you're even bothering to doll up for that boy is beyond me," he stated, waving the eyeliner wand in air for emphasis.

"Who said anything about dolling up? I'm not dolled up," I said, defensively opening one eye.

"Honey, for you, even clear mascara is already getting dolled up. You never use makeup other than lipgloss at most."

Ooh, boy, was I glad that Billy was too busy to notice me as I flushed guiltily. I _did _want to look good tonight, but I'd never admit it to Billy. He'd think I'm doing it for Freddy. Which I'm not…

At least I don't want to think so.

My hand immediately reached for the fairy pendant on my neck, my fingers toying with the topaz absently, fighting back a goofy smile. I'd worn this necklace everyday since I got it last week, only taking it off (and reluctantly at that) when I had to take a bath. I didn't want it tarnished in any way.

Billy stepped back slightly to admire his handiwork as he placed the eyeliner back onto my bureau. As he silently critiqued his work, he caught sight of the pendant that I was playing with.

"Pretty," he said, nodding appreciatively at the jewelry. "Where'd you get it?"

I raised both eyebrows at him quizzically. "Haven't you seen this before?" He shrugged, indicating no. "You're kidding! I've worn this ever since Freddy gave it to me on my birthday!"

"That's from _Freddy_?' he repeated, eyeing the pendant once more, leaning in to study it more closely. "I don't know which is more surprising, the fact that Freddy seems to have better taste in jewelry than I expected, or the fact that he gave you_ jewelry_ for your birthday."

"What's so surprising about giving me a necklace?" I wondered aloud, then gave Bill a suspicious glance. "Whatever you've been doing with Gordon lately, it can't be good if you're getting _this _distracted "

Billy turned a fantastic shade of red and began fumbling with the hem of his shirt. I burst out laughing and clapped him on the shoulder playfully as I got up on my feet.

"Chill, Bill, I was kidding," I said, pulling on the sleek black leather boots that completed my outfit for tonight. I glanced at myself at the mirror with a satisfied smile. I liked how I looked. I had on a loosely cropped black sweater with a wide neckline. It looked a little plain at first, so I pushed the neckline off one shoulder. And to balance out the looseness of the sweater, I put on a short, hip-hugging denim skirt with a camouflage pattern. I piled my hair up into a messy ponytail and thanks to Billy, my makeup looked fierce and flawless. Perfect for a night of rocking out. It's simple; not too slutty, nor too prudish. A lot like me.

"My little caterpillar is becoming a butterfly," Billy teased, tugging at the hem of my sweater lightly. "You already know your fashion, you don't need me anymore. Oh, I think I'm going to cry."

I laughed, swatting his arm playfully. "Stop with the melodrama, Fancypants. You know I love you, even if you become a fashion victim."

"Well, you don't have to worry about _that _happening anytime soon," Billy mused, grinning somewhat cockily. We kept on chatting like that for quite some time, just catching up on each other and basically hanging out when my doorbell rang.

"Huh," Billy said from where he sat cross-legged on my bed. "That's probably your date now."

I glanced at my wristwatch, perplexed. "It's only five in the afternoon, that can't be Freddy yet. He's never early for anything."

Oh well. At least he's here now. He's probably just early because we've been looking forward to this Battle of the Bands all week.

I got up and all but skipped through our living room, picturing a certain drummer's face clearly in my mind. I unlatched the door, putting on my biggest smile (which wasn't especially difficult to do, really).

But instead of the blond-haired drummer I was expecting to see, my boyfriend Zack stood on the other side of the entryway, hands in his pockets and eyes cast on the floor.

"Zack?" I blurted his name out in surprise, my smile slipping slightly at the corners.

Zack lifted his gaze from the ground and smiled, stepping forward to pull me into a hug. "Hey Sum," he whispered into my hair before pulling back to look at me. "So sorry for the short notice."

I glanced behind him and searched the hallway briefly for a glimpse of blond hair, but to my dismay, I found none.

"What are you doing here?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Nothing really, just wanted to see if you want to head back to Manhattan with me tomorrow," he said as I ushered him into my apartment. "You look great by the way."

"Thanks," I replied. It was a little too stiff to sound genuine though. "Where's Freddy?"

"Oh, didn't he tell you?" Zack said, searching his pocket until he pulled out two tickets. I knew those tickets. Freddy and I got those tickets together a few days ago. "Freddy said you two were supposed to go to this thing tonight, but he gave me his ticket, so I could go with you."

"Oh, did he?" was all I could say. It's becoming very difficult for me to hide my disappointment as I tried to keep the corners of my mouth from slipping any further.

"Yeah, cool huh?" Zack said. I smiled wanly at him in response, and he looked a bit crestfallen. "What's the matter Sum?"

I shook my head quickly, forcing myself to cheer up and sound chipper.

"Nothing, nothing. I just…I just wasn't expecting you is all," I assured him, reaching for his hand to give it a light squeeze. What the hell is the matter with me? I should've been happy to see Zack, especially since he came just to see me. He looked a bit hurt, if not troubled, that I was less than excited to see him, and it made me feel extremely guilty.

"Summer, aren't you going to bring your phone with you?" Billy asked, emerging from my bedroom with my clamshell phone in his hand. He stopped talking and broke into a pleased, albeit confused smile when he saw Zack. "Why hello there, stranger, didn't think I'd be seeing _you _this soon." Billy flashed me a questioning look briefly as he handed me my phone before reverting his attention back to Zack.

"Could you stay with Zack for a sec? I'll be right back," I told Billy, and pecked Zack on the cheek before I retreated into my room. I shut the door behind me and leaned back against it, staring at my phone. Sighing deeply, I punched in a number I've come to memorize and pressed Call. There was a click and then…

"Yeah?"

I sucked in my breath, chewing on my bottom lip as I thought of what to say.

"Yo, speak up, man, I haven't got all day."

I cringed inwardly, feeling like smacking myself in the forehead. _Why_ had I called him in the first place? Well…here goes nothing.

"Freddy? It's me."

There was a brief silence before he answered. "Hey Summer. What's up?" I could tell he was trying hard to sound casual.

"Zack's here," I said.

"Uhh…yeah, about that--"

"He told me you gave your concert ticket to him. Why?" I cut him off. I was pissed. For what reason, I can't really say.

"Umm…Surprise?" he laughed. But even on the phone, the laughter sounded forced. Hollow.

"You could've told me first," I said quietly. "You know I hate it when things don't go like I planned."

"I know, I'm sorry," he apologized. And he truly sounded it too. "I just thought you'd much rather go with Zack."

"But…" I trailed off.

_'I wanted to go with you,' _I finished the sentence in my mind. But no, there's no way I could say that. I shook my head, heaving an audible sigh. "Never mind. I'll just…see you around I guess."

He emitted a sigh as well. "Yeah. Bye."

Another silence passed between us, both of us still holding onto our own phones, neither making a move to hang up. Finally, squeezing my eyes closed, I pressed _End Call _and snapped my phone shut.

* * *

"Not very hungry, are you?" I asked Zack. He was sitting across from me, pushing his food around his plate. He managed to spill some on the table too, the amount of which was more than what he actually ate.

He looked up, smiling wanly. "No, not really."

"Oh. Okay."

I think it's safe to say that dinner with Zack has never been as awkward.

In the past few hours, I'd done my best to shove aside my initial disappointment and managed to at least be glad that my boyfriend was here after a long time of not seeing him nor hearing from him. I don't think I could say the same for Zack though. Back in my apartment, he seemed happy to see me, which is partly how I felt better about his sudden arrival. But during dinner at a deli across the stadium where the Battle of the Bands is being held, I couldn't help wondering about him.

All throughout the short ride to the stadium, he was unusually quiet. And as you've probably surmised, dinner wasn't much better either. I just found it a bit unsettling, that after years of being together, we can't seem to find anything to say to each other right now.

And it wasn't as though we weren't trying. I mean, sure we talked about school, his subjects in Duvall, my recent projects, his recently written songs (two of which are making their debut in Dewey's wedding), even Billy and Gordon, but the conversation wasn't as fun as I remembered it. We used to talk for hours on end about everything, even the most mundane things, like bendy straws or curly fries. Now, it seemed to me that we were struggling to keep the conversation going.

Zack looked up from his barely touched burger and fries. "It's quarter to seven. Think we should go to that gig now?"

"I s'pose so," I shrugged, pushing away my own unfinished meal too. Out of habit, I pulled out a few bills to pay my share on the tab and handed it to Zack. He took it from me wordlessly and added his share before handing it to the waitress. We stepped out of the deli and onto the sidewalk, starting towards the stadium. I waited for him to take my hand, something he always did, but it turned out that it was a habit that he's starting to grow out of. We kept walking toward the stadium side by side, him trapped in his own world and me wondering how I could get into it.

I chanced a look at him. His hands were shoved into his pockets, and he was staring straight ahead but didn't seem to be really seeing. Something's up with him, I'm pretty sure of that. If anything, I prided myself with my knack for reading people, most especially Zack.

At least, I think I did.

Faint strains of 3 Doors Down's _Right Where I Belong _filled the deafening silence between us. I thought for a while that the gig had already started, and that it was a song being played in the stadium when Zack, startled out of his reverie, rummaged his pockets until he found his mobile phone.

"Hello?" he said into it, his voice low, completely oblivious of my unspoken worries. I wondered briefly when he changed his ringtone. It used to be _Memory_.

And as he listened to whoever was on the other line, his expression changed from stoic to pensive.

"So it's definitely positive?" he said, nodding slowly. "All right."

Who could he be talking to, and what could that person be saying to worry him like this, I wonder? He had stopped walking abruptly, his jaws clenched, and his brows knitted together, an expression he got only when something was plaguing him badly.

"Fucking hell, _no_, don't do that," he interrupted the other person's ramblings sharply. "Calm down and think about what you're saying. That's not the answer to this, and you know it."

I heard sobbing. Whoever was on the other line was crying, clearly in a horrible disposition.

"Just—okay, okay. I'll go down there tonight. _Listen_ to me," Zack said sternly, his knuckles turning white from gripping the phone so tightly. "_Don't_ do anything until I get back, all right?"

He hung up, exhaling loudly as he blew the bangs out of his eyes, cursing under his breath.

"Hey," I said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. He jerked, slightly startled. "Everything all right?"

He hesitated for a moment, as though deciding on what to tell me. "I'm fine, but listen, Sum, I have to go down to Manhattan right now."

"What, now?" my face fell. He had to leave so soon? "Why? Who was that on the phone? What's wrong?"

I didn't want to pry into his business; I knew he'd tell me whatever it was if he saw the need for it but I couldn't help feeling anxious. I mean, just look at him! He's getting all flustered because of that phone call, and now he had to leave for New York as soon as he can. How can I _not _feel anxious?

"It's nothing, all right?" he waved a hand irritably.

Now I was annoyed. I was just concerned; he had no right to talk to me that way.

"Zack, do you think I'm an _idiot_?" I narrowed my eyes, slowly advancing towards him. "You hardly say anything to me all night, you barely touch your dinner and you look like you haven't been getting enough sleep. Now you're restless and irritable because of that phone call, and suddenly you have to go, and you expect me to believe that it's _nothing? _Clearly, there's got to be _some_thing."

He took a deep breath, as though trying to calm himself. "Look," he said. "I'm sorry I have to leave so suddenly. Maybe you could call Billy, or Freddy even. You could go with them to the concert instead."

"That's not even the point!" I snapped. Why was Zack being so dense about this? What the hell happened to my sensitive boyfriend? "All I'm asking for is an explanation as to why you're acting like this, is that too big a favor? Is it so bad that I want to know what your problem is? You used to tell me everything, why can't you now?"

"Summer, wait--"

"Are you _hiding_ something from me, is that it?"

"Summer--"

"Are you, Zack? _Are you_?"

"_God!_"Zack growled, throwing his hands up in exasperation, cutting off my ranting. "For _once_ in your life, can't you just leave things _alone_? Not everything is about _you _Summer!"

My mouth gaped open as a myriad of emotions washed through me. Shock, confusion, disappointment...even fear. In the entire time that I've known him, Zack never raised his voice at me. Ever.

Then they all faded away into anger. Heat rushed to my cheeks, my hands fisting at my sides.

"Oh is _that _so?" I hissed. My fingernails were digging holes into my palms, but I hardly noticed the pain. "Is that why you hardly call me anymore, or even send me a fucking text message to let me know that my boyfriend is still _alive_? Is that it, huh, Zack?"

"I don't have time for this." Zack gave a frustrated sigh, shaking his head and glaring off into the distance.

"I know. You don't have _time_ for anything anymore, do you?" I enunciated, my voice rising along with my temper, glaring at him even though he wasn't even looking at me. "Or maybe it's just _me_ that you don't have time for."

Zack whirled around to face me, finally meeting my gaze angrily. "Don't be ridiculous, you know that's not true."

I laughed, a derisive laugh that rang harshly in the night air. "Oh really? Then maybe you could explain to me why you forgot to call me on my _birthday. _Or don't you have _time_ to do that too?"

I fixed him a cold stare, watching his eyes widen slightly when my words sank in, and waited for an apology, or an explanation at the very least. He owed me that much, didn't he?

"Look," he said, his voice lowering but I could tell he was just holding himself back from snapping at me again. "We can talk about this later, can't we? Come on, I'll just take you home and--"

Unbelievable was the only word I could think of to describe the entire situation.

Un-_fucking_-believable.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I spat. He reached for my hand but I snatched it out of his grasp. "Not when you don't even care enough to tell me what's going on with you."

"Summer--"

"Forget it!"

I spun on my heel and marched back to where I parked my car, tears of anger and disappointment stinging my eyes and blurring my vision. I walked purposefully slowly, waiting for Zack to follow me, or call me back, or do _something_…anything, like he always does.

He never did.

* * *

**_Freddy_**

I paused, a can of beer halfway to my lips, my ears perking up.

Did my doorbell just ring? I couldn't really be sure, what with the television's blaring sounds. It was roughly seven in the evening and I was sprawled on the couch in my linen pajama bottoms and a white cotton shirt, watching a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert on MTV.

I aimed the remote toward the TV and hit the volume button several times to turn it down, glancing at the door.

_Ding dong!_

There it goes again. Who could that be? That can't be Zack yet, the Battle of the Bands ends at midnight. And I doubt he'd be back that early, not when he's with Sum—

His _girlfriend_.

He mentioned something about needing to tell Summer something. I wonder what it is. Could he have told her yet? What's it about anyway? I only heard half of his conversation with Katie earlier, and damn if I understood any of it.

Setting my beer can on the table, I leaped over the back of the couch and bounded toward the door.

Well. I was right about one thing; it definitely wasn't Zack. Standing in my doorstep with her eyes downcast and her arms wrapped around herself was Summer Hathaway.

"Summer?" I said, my eyes nearly bugging out. That I wasn't expecting her was an understatement.

She looked up, her expression blank but her lips were pressed thin, and her jaw was set, as though she was trying hard not to cry.

"Hey," she half-whispered, a slight quiver in her voice. "Can I come in?"

My eyebrows drew together in confusion. Part of me wanted to ask what the hell she was doing here, or what happened to the concert (which probably just started), or where Zack was, but all those things didn't seem as important when I saw the look of misery on her face.

"Sure," I replied uncertainly, and stepped back to let her back in. She cautiously walked inside my apartment and settled on the couch without waiting for an invitation. I didn't really mind though, she does that all the time anyway. And she seemed too distraught to wait for an invitation. "You okay, Tink?"

She shook her head no, and hugged herself tighter.

"Where's Zack?"

Her expression darkened. "He said he had to go to Manhattan pronto, but he wouldn't say why…"

"What happened?" I asked as I sat down next to her on the couch.

She bit her lip and looked down on her lap, nervously twisting the hem of her dress in her fingers. "I'd really rather not talk about it, if you don't mind," she replied quietly. "It's just that…Billy's not home and I don't think I can be by myself for a while…" she trailed off and hesitantly turned toward me. "Is that all right?"

"Sure you don't wanna talk about it?" She nodded yes. "Okay, I guess."

We didn't say anything else after that. She fell into silence, staring at the TV. Or maybe, at the wall behind the TV, since she's staring at it as though she could see right through it. I doubt she was actually watching it. She looked amazing though, even though she was obviously feeling like crap.

I turned up the TV's volume once more, planning on going back to watching the Red Hot concert. I couldn't get myself back into it though. My mind kept wandering to Summer, then to that phone conversation I heard earlier, and back again. Could those two instances have anything to do with each other? I mean, where was Zack? Did he get to tell Summer what he was supposed to tell her? What was it anyway, and why's she all upset?

Also, I couldn't help thinking, hopefully at that…could they have broken up already?

I snorted inwardly. Dream on, Jones.

If they broke up, Summer would be in a worse state, I'm pretty sure of that. I've seen Katie, and Marta and even smart-ass Alicia on a post-breakup state, and let me tell you, it wasn't a pretty picture. There had been crying, a whole lot of it. And a whole lot of bitter name-calling too. Summer can't be _that _different from them, can she?

It must've been a fight. A big one.

"Hey Freddy?" Summer said suddenly, her voice so quiet that I might not have heard it had I not been sitting so close.

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever felt like…" she began, drawing in a breath as she chose her words. "You have everything under control, and everything figured out…only…you don't? Like everything you've ever known seems to have changed right under your nose, but you never really noticed until the change was too huge and you can't even recognize it anymore?"

She dropped her gaze suddenly, laughing mirthlessly at herself. "I'm not making any sense, am I?"

"Tink, you of all people should know that you always make sense," I told her, my tone light even though I was dead serious. I got where she was coming from, surprisingly enough. I don't know how, but I did. Changes come in so many different forms, some subtle, others drastic. Some are welcome, others not so much. It happens to everyone, and I was no exception. The biggest evidence that I, or at least something in me, has changed, was sitting here next to me.

"Hey," I said, laying a hand on her arm. "I know what you mean."

"So…when you're…upset…or angry or whatever," she went on and I noted with a small satisfied smile that she didn't shake my hand off. "What do you do? How do you deal?"

I wasn't sure what this had to do with her first question buuut…

"Err…I drink," I said the first thing that came to mind. "Or I play the drums," I added as an afterthought.

"Why?"

"It helps me forget." It was true. On more than one occasion had I turned to alcohol or my music for comfort when nothing else could give it.

Summer looked thoughtful. "D'you think that works for everybody? The drums, I mean? I don't really fancy getting drunk so…you know."

I raised an eyebrow, amused. At least I know that the old sensible Summer was still in there, somewhere.

"I guess," I replied with a shrug. "You could give it a try if you want."

She gave a rueful sort of smile and shook her head. "I don't know how."

"Well that's not much of a problem," I snorted and got up on my feet, flicking the TV off with the remote as I went. "C'mon," I said holding out my hand to her. "I'll teach you."

Summer stared at my proffered hand briefly before glancing up at me. "What about that Red Hot gig on TV?"

"Ah, I've seen it before anyways," I waved my hand dismissively at the TV. So what if it was almost time for the Flee and Chad jam (my favorite part of the entire show by the way)? Teaching Summer how to play the drums seems like a better use of my time, any day.

"Well? What do you say?" I asked her, catching her eye.

She chewed on her lip for a few seconds, thinking over my offer before she laid her own hand onto mine.

* * *

**_Summer_**

"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath and exhaling through my mouth. I was seated on the stool behind Freddy's massive drumkit, two slim wooden rods resting on each of my hand. The wood felt rough and worn against the skin of my palms. All I could do was stare at them, though. They looked as alien as they felt. "How exactly do you do this again?"

Freddy sat cross-legged on the foot of his bed, his nose wrinkled, as though trying to think of something constructive to say.

"You just…" he began, and the frown just deepened before he sighed audibly. "Well…okay, I think you need to give me a minute here. Or a decade. Because honestly, I've no idea how to teach anyone how to drum."

My shoulders slumped somewhat, a bit disappointed. I really needed something to get my mind off…things. That blowup with Zack earlier put me in a bit of a fix. It's just that…why couldn't he just…tell me what's going on? Didn't he trust me anymore?

I do not want to dwell on it, because if I did, I'd end up setting my imagination on overdrive and frustrating myself. I didn't want that. If Zack decided not to tell me something, he must have a reason for it…Right? I want to trust him, even though it's becoming more difficult now.

These were the things that were plaguing my thoughts all evening, since I left Zack in front of the stadium earlier. After that, I returned to find the apartment dark and empty, and I don't think I would've been able to handle this alone, so I headed to the only other person I could think of: Freddy.

"Right, here's what we'll do," the aforementioned blond muttered. He got up off the bed in one fluid motion and walked around the drumkit, dragging his computer chair with him.

With mild curiosity I watched him position the chair behind me and take his seat on it. "Freddy? What're you doing?"

"I can't teach for shit, because I didn't even really learn how to drum," he said simply, dragging his chair forward until he was close enough that I could feel his chest press lightly against my back whenever one of us moved, his legs on my either side.

"Drumming something that just came naturally to me," he continued, his voice dropping a decibel or so. I shivered involuntarily when his breath washed over the back of my neck, the hairs standing on end. "So maybe…I can just let it come to me this time, and I'll take you along with me. That cool with you?"

On any other night, with anybody else, in any other situation, that last line would've sounded completely nuts, if not downright funny. But not tonight, not with Freddy, whose callused hands were taking my own as he corrected my hold on his favored pair of drumsticks before he held loosely onto my wrists.

"Put your foot on the bass pedal," he instructed, and I followed at once. "Now, watch closely and do what I do."

Not really knowing what I was agreeing to, I nodded. With his hands guiding me by the wrists, he proceeded to show me simple series of drumbeats, hitting the snares, toms and the cymbals in a certain sequence, following a certain pattern. And then he taught me another. He said the first one was for the verse, and this second one was in the chorus. I wasn't sure as to which song he was teaching the drumsheet to, but I really didn't care. Learning something new kept me preoccupied. Once I had that memorized (I'm a fast-learner, o_kay_?), he told me when to step on the bass.

It took a fair number of tries before I was able to do it right, but Freddy was surprisingly patient, showing me the sequence all over again and pointing out where I'd gone wrong. We did that repeatedly, patiently, until I was finally able to do it without his help.

"When you drum, you don't have to think," he whispered in my ear as I continued playing the rhythm he taught me. "All you have to do is feel."

I took his advice and kept my mind blank, letting only my emotions fuel the music of my drumming. It worked like a charm. Each beat grew louder as I grew more confident in my playing, even though I knew it wasn't nearly as expert as Freddy's. Every ounce of frustration, every hint of confusion and regret, every hurting piece of me, I poured into the music and let myself drown in it.

A few minutes into the song, I understood what Freddy meant about drumming making you forget. Each time I hit the snares, I do it as hard as I could, as though I'm inflicting on it the same hurt that I was feeling, wringing me dry of it, exorcising it from my soul. Every step on the bass made me feel as if I'm running further and further away from whatever is causing this pain. And each crash of cymbals was harsh and loud enough to obscure the bleak sound of shattering hopes and a breaking heart.

When I was sure I had the rhythm memorized, I closed my eyes and dared to increase my pace, going as fast and relentless as I could. Freddy remained seated behind me, his hands lightly resting on my hips as though assuring me that he'd be there in case I faltered. I drummed and drummed until my arms started to grow tired, the muscles cramping up with the strenuous exercise, but I didn't care. I kept it up until I just couldn't play anymore, and ended the last sequence with a particularly hard slam on the cymbals before letting my arms fall slack on my sides. Almost unconsciously, I let myself lean back against Freddy, my head falling on the space between his shoulder and neck as I tried to catch my breath.

"See?" he whispered once more, sounding as though he was speaking from somewhere far away. "When you finish you're exhausted. Drained. But you're satisfied, because for that one moment, you let yourself forget everything."

Very slightly, I shifted in my seat so I was leaning sideways against him, my head devoid of any thought. Freddy's hands went up to my arms, trying to soothe my tired muscles. At this close proximity, I thought I could hear the faint pounding of his heart, and the sound was as comforting as the drumming in itself. And damn he smelled good…

"Hey, Sum?"

"Hmm…?"

I opened my eyes to see him looking down at me. His mouth was opened slightly, as though he was about to say something, but whatever it was seemed to have flown away when our gazes met in one electric moment.

The drumsticks fell out of my hands and clattered on the floor where they lay forgotten.

Who made the first move, I might never find out, but suddenly I just found that Freddy was kissing me, and I was kissing him back with a fervor that I never knew I possessed. Intense doesn't even come close to describing this kiss. It wasn't like our first kiss, which had been shy and reluctant, nor was it like the second one, which was heartbreakingly slow and desperate. This kiss was different. This kiss was fierce, reckless, urgent and so full of wanting. What was surprising about it is that the feeling of wanting felt…well…mutual.

We somehow managed to get on our feet without breaking away from each other, my fingers clawing at his shirt, his hands cupping my face as the kiss deepened further. His mouth was searching mine so insistently, and I was struggling to keep myself from moaning at the pleasure it entailed.

I know I shouldn't be doing this. I know that I should push him away, but god forbid, I just couldn't bring myself to oblige. How on earth could I, when he has managed to occupy each and every one of my senses, when his slightest touch made me want to burst with longing? Whenever I start to get the nerve to push him away, he would nip lightly at my bottom lip or caress the roof of my mouth with his tongue and all vestiges of common sense would promptly fade away once more. Not even I could maintain a coherent thought when he was doing all these atrociously heavenly things to my mouth.

We fumbled and stumbled our way clumsily around the drumkit without breaking off the kiss until my foot got caught on the carpet, making me fall back onto his bed. Gasping into his mouth, I instinctively grabbed onto him to keep myself from falling, but I only managed to drag him down with me.

Finally managing to break away, I found him lying atop me, his blue eyes bright and glazed with what I can only recognize as lust, his breathing just as erratic as my own. He was excited; I could tell by the way his hardness was pressing against my stomach. It wasn't especially difficult to notice, flannel isn't that thick.

He propped himself up on his elbows so he could look down at me, searching my eyes as though asking if I wanted to stop, and afraid of the answer, whatever it may be.

Well. I was deathly afraid of the answer too. The things I feel for Freddy were confusing, liberating and terrifying all at the same time. But even though I was just as scared, I found myself staring back at him and draped my arms around his neck so I could pull him back down for yet another kiss.

_'Because just like drumming_,' I thought as Freddy kissed his way down my jaw and neck, letting myself go in this haze of passion. _'Freddy Jones had a way of making one broken heart forget.'_

* * *

**_Freddy_**

Things between Summer and I are escalating at such a fast pace that I'm still having a difficult time making sense of what's going on. Only a few moments ago, I was teaching her to play drums. I had no real intention of getting this physical with her, no matter how much my hormones dictated otherwise. But when she opened her eyes and looked at me, I saw the pain hidden within them, the tears I could tell she was suppressing and all I could think of was wanting to comfort her the only way I knew how.

I'm still not sure about who kissed who first, but one thing I'm sure of is that I can't stop now. Can't stop kissing her, wanting to feel her silky hair between my fingers, make her moan by tracing the length of her neck with my mouth and suckling on the base of her throat.

Common sense left me now. All that made sense was that she was clinging to me, her arms around my neck, as though I was the only one she'd ever need. Damn…I've wanted this so much for so fucking long…wanted her fingers to keep tracing patterns on the skin of my back under my shirt…wanted her to send me _this _close to the edge with her slightest touch… I've been called insatiable before, but it's only now that I'm beginning to understand what it meant. I just couldn't have enough of her. The smell of her hair, the taste of her lips, the feel of her skin…everything. She made me feel breathless, aroused, frustrated, needy, afraid, desperate and elated all at the same time. I was so turned on at the moment that I didn't even know that I was already pushing her skirt up, one hand running roughly along her thigh, fingers coming in contact with black lace.

There was a muffled gasp and a pained cry, and it took me a moment to realize that it came from Summer, who had torn her mouth away from mine and had stiffened beneath me.

"Oh _God…_ Freddy…" she gasped, lightly pushing against my chest. "What are we doing?"

I withdrew my hand quickly as though scalded and tried to clear my head, pulling back to check if she was all right. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes glassy with lust, her hair mussed and lips swollen from our feverish activity. I would've thought that she looked sinfully sexy…had I not seen that beneath the lust in her eyes was another emotion.

Guilt.

"Oh shit…Summer I--"

"I'm sorry."

Confused, I rolled off her and sat up. "What?"

She did the same, smoothing her skirt back down over her underwear. I willed myself to stop looking at inappropriately exposed parts of her and ignore the fact that I was still painfully aroused, and focused on the carpet instead.

"It's just…God I'm such a bitch…" she groaned. She pulled her legs closer to her, curling into a ball, raking her hands through her disheveled hair. "I shouldn't have come here tonight…I was just so upset with Zack and…" she rambled on. I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or just to herself as she tried to analyze everything. It's a habit of hers that I'm finding very tiresome. She shook the hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry…it wasn't fair to Zack, and it wasn't fair to you. I shouldn't have used you like that…"

Her voice trailed off to silence, but I felt as though she'd punched me in the gut. Oh. So…did that mean…that everything that happened just now meant absolutely nothing to her?

_Of course, _I thought bitterly. They meant nothing to her. This accidental makeout session of ours meant trouble for her, at most. She didn't want me. I wanted her all right, but she never wanted me, and she probably never would. I just happened to be here tonight when she needed someone, that's all…

God look at her, looking so guilty…so bad about kissing me without an excuse. I should've never let myself lose control so easily like that, especially with someone who's always in control of everything. Unable to stomach seeing her look so troubled, I turned away, swinging my legs to the side of the bed so my back was to her and leaned forward on my knees.

"You should probably leave," I said quietly, trying to keep my voice even, willing it to stay steady. It was especially hard to do with a constricting throat and blurring vision.

"Oh Freddy…I'm so sor--"

"Summer," I cut her off bluntly. "Just…stop."

I didn't want to hear her apologize for what happened any more than she already did. I don't want to hear that she was sorry for what happened, because I _wasn't_ sorry for it. Why should I be? I wanted it to happen, unconsciously or otherwise. I wanted it so badly that it hurt. Just like everything she had said hurt.

"Don't blame yourself, it's my fault too," I said. From the corner of my eye, I saw Summer reach out a hand toward me, but I got off the bed before she could have the chance to even touch me. I glanced over my shoulder and looked in her general direction, careful not to catch her eye. "Should I call you a cab, or did you bring your car?"

"I—" she began, but thought the better of it and finished off with a heavy sigh. "No, you don't have to get me a cab. I have my car, I could drive home."

"Okay, well…good."

I left the room, and Summer followed close behind, trying to pull herself together and fix herself up as she went along. Notice how I didn't offer to take her home. After what just happened…I don't think I should be alone with her anymore. Which brings me to another issue that we needed to address…

"Hey," I said, trying to catch her attention once we were back in the living room. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to say her name. She hesitantly turned towards me, her expression questioning. "About that girlfriend deal," I began, the words forcing themselves through gritted teeth. "I think it's best if we call it quits."

"Oh. That." Summer dropped her gaze and sucked in her breath. "I…I guess we should."

"Yeah…"

She shifted uneasily and cleared her throat. "Well…umm…goodbye." I nodded at her before she meekly went for the door and walked out of my apartment. Out of my life.

I didn't even turn around when the door shut behind her. It hurt too much to see her go.

* * *

**_Summer_**

Whoever said that when you've hit rock bottom, you've nowhere to go but up was wrong. The rock bottom you're lying slumped on can still erode, and just when you think you can sink no lower, you do.

I should know, 'cause at this moment, while I'm backing up my car into the parking lot of my apartment building, that's exactly how I feel.

The parking lot was dark, and the only company I had were cars of other tenants and shadows. Good. I still don't want to be alone, but look at what happened when I sought out company. So I stayed there in the driver's seat of my car, my hands gripping the steering wheel and my chest constricting with pain of guilt.

'_God…I've become such a horrible person…' _I thought, resting my forehead on the wheel.

I cheated. I cheated on Zack, my sweet, forever understanding, forever loyal and trusting boyfriend. I cheated on him, _with his best friend_. And not only that, I actually _liked _what happened.

I hate myself for it.

A muffled beeping sound of my message alert tone startled me back to reality, and I lifted my head of the wheel, rubbing out the mark it left on my skin. Oh. I didn't even notice that I left my purse in the car. Quietly picking up the purse, I left the car and headed for the building's entrance.

"Good evening Miss Hathaway," greeted Mr. Bailey, the fifty-two year old doorman on night duty, with a serene smile. "You're out late tonight."

I forced myself to smile back, though it probably looked more like a grimace than a smile. "Good evening Mr. Bailey," was all I said, choosing to ignore his latter comment before heading towards the elevator.

"Oh wait, Miss Hathaway."

I sighed, tired, but turned back around to see what Mr. Bailey wanted. "Yes?"

"These came for you earlier." He held out a bouquet of sunflowers toward me, the blossoms so huge that they were almost obscuring his face. I eyed the card stuck on the bouquet (of my favorite flowers) and approached Mr. Bailey once more.

"Do you know where they came from?"

"A boy dropped them of earlier," said Mr. Bailey, a broad grin wrinkling his tired face. "He said he was in a hurry, but told me to make sure you got them and read the card."

"Oh," I said, taking the flowers from Mr. Bailey. "Thank you. Good night Mr. Bailey."

I walked back to the elevator, frowning as I peeled the card off the plastic wrapping of the bouquet and opened the tiny envelope.

_'I love you Summer. I'm so sorry. - Zack'_

I fell against the wall of the elevator as it rose steadily up. Hands shaking so badly, I clutched the card and the flowers to my chest with one arm and covered my mouth with the other to hide a choked sob. Far from making me feel better, this incredibly sweet gesture of Zack only made me feel so much worse. About what happened. About myself.

When the elevator door dinged open, I barely remembered leaving it and just found myself back inside my room. The light was on in Billy's room, and soft music filtered out from inside, but I didn't call his attention anymore. I can't talk to him like this.

Collapsing on the chair of my bureau, I glared at my reflection in the mirror. What was supposed to be a night of celebration turned out to be a night of disaster, and it's all my fault.

The phone in my bag beeped again, and this time, I heeded its call and pulled it out. Twelve missed calls. Two messages. All Zack. The first message read: _'Hope you got the flowers. I'm sorry I was such an asshole. I'll make it up to you, I promise. And I'll explain everything in time. I'll head back there first thing tomorrow morning, and we could go back to Manhattan like I originally planned. Is that ok? I love you.'_

The second was shorter. _'Sum, reply please? Is it ok if I come pick you up tomorrow?'_

I was still upset with him but I chose to give him the chance to redeem himself. After what I just did…I owed him that much.

Sender has requested a reply. Reply now? I stared at the phone for another full minute before I came to a decision. 

_Yes. _

With shaky fingers, I keyed in a quick response. _'OK. See you tomorrow. I love you too.'_

_Sending message... Message Sent. _

_(to be continued…)_

--

**A/N:** I apologize for the delay. I was busy with a lot of stuff that I wouldn't elaborate on so I wouldn't bore your brains out, so I wasn't able to edit the chapter earlier, and I didn't want to post a half-baked chapter. Especially not this one, which was a bit difficult to write, but is still one of my favorites.

I could almost see a lot of people out there smacking their foreheads in exasperation at Freddy and Summer. Haha. I hope no one gets tired of waiting for them to get together.

Anyway, so the story takes a nosedive from here. Next chapters will probably be just as dark as we approach the climax of the story.

This chapter…well, it's supposed to be compared to Summer and Freddy's first date (notice the lack of excitement on the first, and the presence if it now), and Zack's first and second visit (warm and attentive versus cold and distant). Hope I got that point across.

And Summer's outfit? I recently went shopping with a friend of mine and immediately fell in love with it when I saw it. It's in my closet now, actually. Teehee.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. I've come to notice a lack of appreciation of some truly fantastic FS fics, and I think that's unfair because honestly, the authors of those fics are eons better than I am. So I'd like to recommend them to all of my readers.

_Rock With Me, Roll With Me –_ D.M. Ralte  
_Benvenuto a Roma – _Nanners-77  
_In Time _– Felons Dictation  
_Project: GRR _– wyverna  
_Past Mistakes and Present Problems _– i am not a chipmunk  
_Serendipity _- sweetcaroline

Anyway, those are a few of the fics on my Alert List. So go, read and review, like, now. Maybe more reviews will inspire them to update sooner and stop torturing me by making me wait for another century for an update. You won't be sorry, though because they're awesome, I promise.

**Up Next: Chapter 16 Separate Lives**

Back to Manhattan we go, as the entire band visits their hometown for Christmas break. We get to see a bit of Summer and Freddy's home lives. The band also starts practice for Dewey's upcoming wedding, which means we get to see everyone else that hasn't made an appearance in the story yet. Our leads go back to their normal lives, their lives before college, and have a hard time readjusting. How do they cope without each other?


	16. Separate Lives

**What You Least Expect**  
**- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
****Cupid'sBride:** Oh yes, you probably _have_ set the trend of long reviews, along with Nanners. I do so love reading long reviews; they tend to make me smile like a fool, and most of the time long reviews give me insight on where to improve on in the story…and they make me get to know my readers better, which is always a good thing. Anyway, funny you should mention me writing a film, because I'd always dreamed of being a screenplay/scriptwriter for either movies or TV series. And that blog...gah, I haven't updated that poor thing in ages. I just haven't had the time or energy to chronicle my life lately. Anyhoo, mucho thanks for your continued support, you never fail to make me smile.  
**Nanners-77:** All right, it would seem rather pointless to argue on who's better, since neither of us would back down on our stands, so let's just say we're all on equal footing. The drumset scene…I think I have an excuse for that. Since I'm writing from Summer's POV, everything _is _hard to comprehend, eyes closed and making out with Freddy and all. She couldn't make sense of what's happening, much less see her surroundings. Ahh and about the bitter, bitter flame-ees… She writes a crappy story, and points a finger at her sister when someone thought it was bad? That's just really funny...and stupid. And really, why should you believe you're a terrible author when so many others think otherwise? (yep, this is me trying to persuade you not to leave the fandom, which wyverna also stated in her A/N).  
**deviocity:** yeah, that drum-scene is one of my favorite FS moments too. I spent quite some time trying to imagine that particular scene in my head and in trying to write it without getting to technical in the "lesson". It's just flattering to know that I've succeeded in eliciting those emotions in you, because they were exactly what I was aiming for. Thanks so much for all the encouragement!  
**Annise:** Eh well, yes, Freddy and Summer are both idiots in that context. Freddy's a guy; most guys (at least, the ones I know) don't think things over very much. Unless you're really up front with what you want them to know, they wouldn't figure it out, which is kind of frustrating sometimes, really. Summer, on the other hand, is smart most times, but can be very ignorant when it came to matters of the heart. She's pretty much innocent at things like that.  
**EpisodeSkywalker:** I frustrated you _that _much? Oh geez…poor table…err…head. Haha, kidding.  
**I am not a chipmunk:** change your penname? I'd rather that you don't, 'cause it's weirdly unique and it gives you a certain edge. But it's your call. Update soon too, 'kay?:)  
**Felons Dictation: **You deserve the recommendation, honey. I do so adore your story, and I can't wait for the next chapter and even the promised one-shot. Hope you find your inspiration soon!  
**D.M. Ralte:** you say fanfics are not your forte, but I really think you're doing fine. Actually, I think writing original fiction is way harder than fanfiction. With fanfics, the characters already have their traits and personalities, and all one has to do is play those personalities up. In original fiction, you'd have to think of _everything, _from the place they grew up in, all the characters' traits and flaws and quirks and everything else in between. And yeah, I _have _seen your fictionpress account, but I have yet to read your stories. I shouldn't really distract myself right now, but once I finish up with WYLE, I'll be sure to check those stories of yours.  
**Bethy Ann:** I haven't seen your name around before, welcome on board! And mucho thanks for the flattery. I really wanted to keep the story close to real life, and I'm glad you guys thought I pulled it off.  
**A Bloody Vampire:** A lot of people are going to hate Summer, that much I can tell you. But yes, she couldn't help it. That's probably what I would do, should I be in her shoes.  
**Blueberry23, Gothic Ghost, Kevin'sQT, debbiegirl, ilovestrawberries, whatever101, ErclaireER, LivingStoneLily, gigi, lilyflowr33:** Thanks so much for taking time to review. I actually made people cry? Maahnn…I don't know whether to feel bad or flattered. But here, I've updated as soon as I could! As for the theories…well, we'll see if you got 'em correctly.

And another thing. People seem to think that I've written Zack's songs. I haven't. I'm no songwriter, and the only poetry I've written so far are all free-verse, so they would pretty much suck as song lyrics, so it's either you guys don't see Zack's songs at all, or I could use a pre-existing song and we can all just pretend that Zack wrote it…unless someone would like to help me out with the song-writing? All credits would go to that person of course, I promise.

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

On with the story!

**Chapter 16: Separate Lives

* * *

__****Summer**

"Well," Zack said as we pulled into the driveway of the Hathaway residence. "This is it. Home sweet home."

I rolled down the window of Zack's car, taking in the sight of the house that I grew up in.

Wow. It seems like forever since I last saw it, but it hasn't changed at all. It still had its yellow paintwork with white trimming, still the same white picket fence around the perimeter, still the same well-kept lawn. The swing in the porch, which used to be my favorite place to think or read or whatever, looked like it hasn't been used in a while though, and it looked a little lonely.

"I can't believe how much I missed this place…" I murmured, more to myself than to Zack.

"C'mon, let's get your stuff in the house," said Zack, undoing his seatbelt as well before stepping out of the car. I nodded slowly in agreement, following suit.

Yes, Zack and I are okay again. Well…at least we're on speaking terms once more. Only a minute after I'd sent my text message last night, Zack called, apologizing profusely. True to his word, he took his dad's car and drove all the way from Manhattan just to pick me up.

We didn't talk much about what happened the night before. He didn't seem like he was too keen on talking about it anyway, and I didn't want to push him any more than I already have, or else we'd just end up fighting again.

And talking about last night reminded me of that evil, evil thing I did. I was _not _a good liar at all, and I'd probably spill everything at the first suspicious question that Zack could throw at me. So no, I didn't want to bring any of it up. I guess going back to New York is a good way to leave all that behind.

So instead, we talked about a set list he brought with him, which he said were the songs that they'll be playing at Dewey's wedding. We listened to all of them on the road, and I came up with a tentative band practice schedule that we could work with once everyone's back.

I watched Zack pick up the heavier suitcase, leaving me to carry the lighter one and the two of us went past the picket fence. We walked on the curving pathway towards the house, noticing that the garage was empty, meaning both my parents were still probably at work. (My mom's a lawyer and my dad's a surgeon. Go figure.) Too bad, I really wanted to see them.

Upon reaching the door, I used my old key to unlock it and entered the house. Hmm…I guess mom still uses those vanilla-scented candles of hers; the house was filled with that particular smell just as I remembered it.

"Hey Imp, I thought I heard you come in."

I smiled at the nickname, and even before I turned around, I knew my elder brother would be peering at me from the top of the staircase. He slid down the banister of the stairs and landed on his feet in front of me to give me a hug.

"Hah, I never thought I'd say this, but I missed you, Loser," I grinned up at him and then ducked out of his grasp when he tried to give me a noogie.

"Hi Drake," greeted Zack, who was standing just behind me. "When did you get back from Harvard?"

"Oh, hey man," Drake replied, slapping Zack a high five. "I got here like a week ago, just a few days after Leila got here."

"Oh so Leila's here too?" I asked. I didn't know my sister would already be back before me.

"Yeah, she's upstairs somewhere," said Drake, carelessly waving a hand in the direction of the staircase. "Anybody hungry?" he asked, starting toward the kitchen. "Mom made that disgusting tuna pasta you love so much Summer, just in case you wanted something to eat while she's out."

"I'm good, thanks," I said, shaking my head before turning to Zack. "D'you want anything to eat?"

"Oh. No thank you," Zack declined. "I've to get going anyway."

"You're leaving already?" I asked, perplexed.

Zack nodded yes. "I've some stuff to settle with my dad."

Drake's eyebrow rose somewhat. "I'll be raiding the fridge if you change your minds," he called over his shoulder before disappearing into the kitchen, giving us our privacy. He never did get comfortable with the idea of me having a boyfriend. It's an elder brother thing.

"I have to go now. Is that all right or d'you want me to stick around for a bit?"

I considered his offer for a moment before shaking my head.

"No, it's fine," I said. For some reason, I wasn't all that eager to spend some alone time with him. "I need time to get settled in anyway."

"Okay then." He put down my suitcase on the floor beside me and pulled me into a hug and leaned in for a kiss. I placed my arms around his waist, kissing back lightly and awkwardly, unsure of what to do or how to feel. So awkward was the kiss that it didn't last for very long. I pulled back, licking my lips lightly, my eyes downcast. He didn't look like he noticed anything though.

"I'll call you tonight, okay?" he said, brushing his thumb on my cheek before letting his hand fall to his side.

"Sure, okay," I said. And then he was off, shutting the door behind him as he went.

Picking up my suitcases, I trudged up the carpeted stairs and walked down the narrow hallway toward my room. I passed by the "Losers Keep Out" sign on the door of Drake and Alvin's (our youngest brother, who is now in tenth grade in Horace Green) room, before reaching the room at the end of the hall that Leila and I shared. The door was left slightly open, and I used my shoulder to push it open further.

Leila's side of the room was in a bit of a disorderly state. Her suitcases from Stanford (she's following my father's footsteps and is taking up Medicine) lay against the wall, some of its contents spilling to the floor. Her bed was unmade, which meant that she just got out of it.

My side, however, stayed as neat as I left it, with the covers of my bed tucked neatly, my old books lined up in the shelf and my vanity table clutter free.

Leila strolled in the room in a robe, fresh from a shower, wringing her hair dry with a towel.

"Hi there sister," she said, giving me a peck on the cheek as she passed. "The mess is killing you, I know, but don't you worry your little head about it. I'll have it all cleaned up by the end of the day."

"Okay," was all I could say. Leila and I were never really all that close. I think we had way too much in common, and we all know that like repels like. We were both too bossy and uptight to like each other.

I put my suitcases down in front of my wardrobe, stopping short when I saw the corkboard I stuck on the closet's door. On the corkboard were old copies of band practice schedules that I didn't have the heart to throw away before leaving for college, and several photos of me with friends that didn't fit into the scrapbook I made. A lot of them were pictures of Zack and I together, and all the rest were a mix of the rest of the band.

Hmm. There aren't very many shots of Freddy on that corkboard, and somehow, the collection of photos seemed incomplete.

But maybe…that's just how things are supposed to be.

* * *

**_Freddy_**

"Welcome back, Mr. Jones."

Prudence, our forty-three year old housekeeper, held the door open for me as I lugged in the stuff I'd brought along from the dorm. There weren't many of them, since I only brought a few clothes with me. I didn't even bring my drumkit with me; I had different set back here.

When I left my apartment this morning, I drove by Summer's apartment building and almost went up to see if she was ready to go yet. That's because a week ago, she and I talked about driving home together. She said she didn't really like the idea of driving the entire way to New York, so we agreed to just take my car, and we could take turns on driving. (If anyone's wondering, Gordon would be picking Billy up.)

Then I remembered that she and I weren't really supposed to be talking any more than necessary, especially after what happened last night. I guess my mind hasn't caught up with the times yet. So when it did manage to catch up, I just went on ahead and drove all the to New York alone.

And now here I am.

I acknowledged Prudence with a slight nod before heading purposefully toward the grand staircase that led up to the second floor of the house. On the way there, I passed by my mother's study, whose door was left ajar. A voice filtered out from inside so I peeked in to check.

My mother stood in the center of the room, in one of her business suits, her briefcase in hand as she chattered on the phone. She was speaking in rapid French and her tone was stern, which probably means she's talking to an international client.

"_Quand? Ah, oui oui, tres bien. Oui. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Poulan,_" she said pleasantly into her phone while she pulled out a fountain pen from her blazer pocket and scribbled something down on the planner on her desk. It was only when she hung up that she noticed I was standing in the doorway. She gave me a tight-lipped smile. "Freddy, sweetheart. Hi," she said, coming over to give me an awkward hug.

"Hey mom," I said, weakly returning the embrace.

"How've you been, baby?" she asked, pulling back to look up at me.

I shrugged. "Surviving, I guess." I gave her a once over and cocked an eyebrow. "Going somewhere?"

"Unfortunately yes," she said, giving an exhausted sigh. "The new hotel manager in the branch in Bellflower needs to be oriented, so I'm leaving for California in an hour. Your dad's already at the airport, I just went back to pick up a few papers."

"Oh," I replied. I probably should be disappointed because I just got back and was actually hoping to spend more than five minutes with my parents, but really, I was used to the arrangements. It's been like this for years, anyway. "When will you guys be back?"

"I'm not certain yet, because we still have to do our rounds in the three other hotels in the state," said Mom. "But we'll probably be back in time for Christmas."

"I see," I nodded, shifting the backpack on my shoulder. "Well. Take care then, and say hi to dad for me."

"All right," she said before kissing me lightly on the cheek. She said she'll call to check up on me, but I knew better than to believe her. I stood at the foot of the staircase for a short while and waited until my mother disappeared through the front door. An echo resounded through the big empty house when the door swung shut once more.

"Welcome home, Freddy," I muttered to myself as I finally made my way up to my room.

* * *

**_Summer_**

"Do I need to pick you up later?" asked my dad as I unfastened my seatbelt and got ready to get off the car.

"No, Zack will drive me home. Thanks anyway dad," I told him, kissing him on the cheek. I stepped out of the vehicle and waved as my dad drove away, before taking the familiar route up the building for the first time this year.

And even as I approached unit 38A, the apartment-turned-studio that Dewey and Ned Schneebly owned, I could already hear the excited chatter that was buzzing from the interior of the apartment.

When I opened the door, I was welcomed by a scene of total chaos.

But it was chaos in the best sense, because also for the first time since the band breakup, I saw all the people I loved in this cramped two-bedroom apartment we all knew and loved.

Alicia, Marta and Tomika were huddled around a microphone, but instead of doing the usual vocalizations, they were talking animatedly with each other. They all looked a bit different from when I last saw them, but somehow, they still seemed unchanged.

Tomika, for example, was still in the voluptuous side, but she had lost quite a lot of weight and the curves look good on her. She still looked like that shy backup singer from fifth grade, but she was exuding a confidence I've never seen before. Perhaps it's the theater's influence.

Alicia's voice was still the loudest of the three, and she spoke with her usual animated gestures, though it seemed to me that she's toned the profanity down a bit.

Marta, sweet, blonde petite Marta looked like a woman now more than ever since she'd lost her love for all things pink and floral and considered a change in wardrobe. But even with the mature-looking red halter and figure-hugging jeans, to me she was still the spunky, perky girl-next-door with the angelic voice and an inner rock star.

The said blonde singer looked away from their conversation when she heard the door of the room creak open. Her face split into a grin immediately.

"Summer, you're here!" squealed Marta. She, along with Tomika and Alicia, bounded over to me, and each gave me a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Girl, it's so good to see you again, you don't even _know,_" added Alicia.

I returned their hugs eagerly, and we all launched into a conversation, catching each other up. Tomika told us about her ongoing project, which was a version of _Rent, _and had invited us all to the opening night. Once in a while, our conversation would be interrupted by Alicia's manager, who kept calling her until she threatened to throw out her phone and change her number if he didn't stop pestering her. She's told us all about her new record deal and the ups and downs of being a professional recording jazz artist. Marta, on the other hand, had changed her mind about Hollywood. She said that limelight just wasn't her thing, and settled for being a voice teacher instead.

"—and damn, I just heard about Billy and Gordon, and I was all _whaaaaat? _When the hell did _that _happen? How come nobody told me, huh?" Alicia was saying. "But then again, I'm happy for the lil queer. At least he ain't alone no more."

"I can't wait to see the finished gowns he's making for us," Tomika put in. "He's already shown us the designs, and I think they're going to be awesome."

"Oh, they will be, trust me," I said knowingly, thinking of the Halloween costume he made for me. "Billy's a fantastic designer."

And then the conversation turned to Dewey's wedding plans, the upcoming Christmas party and everything else. As we talked, I took the chance to observe everyone else in the room, keeping an ear in the conversation in case anyone addressed me.

In one side of the room, Zack stood in the middle of the instruments with Katie and Lawrence as he slung his guitar's strap around his shoulders. I think Lawrence switched to contact lenses, which would probably explain the absence of his trademark specs. Katie had her auburn hair cut short, reminding me strongly of Peyton Sawyer from _One Tree Hill, _only less blonde. The look suited her, I noted as I watched her tune her bass while she talked to Lawrence. Ironically, Peyton and Katie had a few similarities as well, like the dry, sarcastic humor and the sheer love for music. I'll make sure to tell her that later.

In the other end of the room, Billy stood in his corner armed with his measuring tape as he measured Eleni for her gown. Michelle was perched on Billy's old worktable, legs crossed and chin propped on her hand as she laughed at something Gordon had said. Gordon was holding onto a notepad and was jotting down the measurements for Billy.

Smack in the middle of the room stood Frankie, who apparently was relaying an amusing story, complete with reenactments and wild actions. Redheaded Marco looked confused (then again, when is he _not _confused?), but Leonard was clutching his stomach from so much laughing. Both boys had matured considerably, physically speaking. They were better looking now too, what with their newly acquired muscles. I last heard that both of them had athletic scholarships in their chosen colleges, Leonard's was in basketball, and Marco's was in soccer.

I was itching for my clipboard, wanting very much to do a head count and check attendance like I used to do. Some people were missing, including the owner of the said apartment who was also ex-lead singer and guitarist of the band. (Well, that's because we told him to stay out of the practices because we wanted the setlist to be a surprise.)

But, I thought as I scanned the room once more, where was Freddy?

Since our return to Manhattan a week or so ago, I haven't seen the said drummer. As much as possible, I refrained from making any contact, or even thinking about him, actually. Whenever Zack asked if I wanted to hang out with him and other people from the band, I'd decline if I find out that Freddy's coming too. Zack had actually asked if something happened between Freddy and I, whether we had a fight or something, since neither of us seemed to want to be around each other. It hurt a bit to know that Freddy didn't want to see me, but I guess it's just fair.

The last time I talked to him was when I called to tell him the date and time of the first band practice for Dewey's wedding.

_Summer sat cross-legged on her bed in her room, chin in one hand and phone in the other. She'd already called the entire band and crew and told them about the band practice. Well…Everyone except their drummer. _

_Oh no, she knew his number. She knew it by heart. Which is why she can't understand why she's having such a hard time dialing it. It's only been days since she'd last seen him…or even talked to him, but it already felt like a lifetime._

'I'm being ridiculous,'_ she thought to herself, shaking her head. _'It's business. I just have to inform him about the practice and be done with it.'

_Taking in a deep breath, she pressed _Dial_ on her phone and waited for him to pick up. _

"_Hello?"_

_Heart in her throat, Summer took a few seconds before she could squeak out a reply. She hadn't realized how much she missed already hearing his voice._

"_Freddy, this is Summer."_

_There was a pause. "I know. What's up?"_

"_I—I…I just wanted to tell you about…" _

_She was stuttering. Why was she stuttering? Summer Hathaway does _not_ stutter for anything! _

"_About the band practice next Monday," she went on, despite the mad hammering of her heart in her chest. " 1 PM, in Dewey's old apartment. Don't be late."_

_Summer expected him to come up with a smart-ass comeback, even imagined him rolling his eyes, but all he said was "Sure, I'll be there, no prob."_

_Another pause. She wanted to ask how he's been, or what he's been up to lately…or something, just to keep talking to him, but she couldn't find anything to say. He, on his part, stayed on the line and didn't hang up either, as though he also wanted to say something else, but couldn't. _

_Deciding to end their suffering, Summer spoke. "Umm…I guess that's all. I'll see you Monday."_

"_Yeah, see you…"_

I haven't heard from him since then.

"Oh by the way, Summer," Marta spoke up, a hint of pink in her cheeks as she slipped her arm into mine. I glanced at her briefly, a bit startled. "I heard Freddy goes to the same college as you and Billy."

"Oh here we go again," groaned Alicia. Inside, I wanted to groan too. The drummer wasn't really the best of topics to discuss with me right now.

I gulped. I can't very well ignore the question now, can I? "Uhh…yeah, we're in the same college. Why?"

"So is he, y'know like…dating anyone?" Marta asked, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"D'you realize how stupid that question is, woman?" demanded Alicia, raising her eyebrow at the petite blonde, hand on her hip. "Of _course_ he's dating someone. He always is."

"Well, _duh, _I know that," Marta made a face. "What I _meant _was that does he have, like, a girlfriend now? As in a real one?"

Alicia rolled her eyes again, looking every bit like she wanted out of this conversation. Marta was looking at me expectantly though, and even Tomika looked mildly interested.

"Umm…no, actually," I answered quietly. "He isn't dating anyone. He hasn't been into the dating scene much since college."

Well. He hasn't dated anyone…other than me that is. And that's not even really dating, so technically, I'm speaking the truth.

"See, I _told _you he's bound to change sometime!" Marta crowed victoriously, smirking madly at Alicia who rolled her eyes in response.

Tomika laughed amiably. "You don't still have a thing for drummer boy, do you?"

Instead of flushing deep red like she usually did, Marta just grinned devilishly. "No," she admitted. "I'm kind of going out with a guy from the school I'm teaching at. But you have to admit, the boy's still hot as ever"

"Says you," Alicia stated, stubbornly jutting her chin out.

"And every other girl he's flirted with," argued Marta. "I'd like to see _you _take on his flirting skills. You'll never survive."

"Well, what about Summer, then?" Tomika asked, gesturing at me. "She's spent like half a year with him already, and she still hasn't jumped in the bandwagon."

I resisted an urge to cringe. Oh damn, why did they have to bring _me_ into this?

"Eh, well, Summer's exempted, I think," Marta shrugged. "She hates Freddy, and she has a boyfriend. And besides, Summer's not one to jump in bandwagons." She then turned to me. "Right Tink?"

I choked on my own saliva, startled, and coughed to cover it up. Oh boy this is awkward, very awkward indeed.

"Uhmm, right. Yeah, uh-huh, no bandwagons for me," I babbled, eyes shifting to and fro, careful not to catch anyone's gaze. "Umm, I'll just…uhh…go talk to…umm…Katie like…now, okay?"

Oh smooth, that. Way to act indifferent. I should win an Oscar.

_Not. _

The backup singers looked at me strangely for a little while before shrugging to themselves and resuming their argument. I then shuffled away and strode purposefully to where the instruments were set up. I gave Zack a brief kiss as I passed him and went straight for Katie. We haven't made much contact since college and I really missed talking to her. Next to Zack and Freddy, Katie got along best with me. She's one of the persons who can actually understand why I'm so uptight all the time, and she's usually the one who acts as a referee when Freddy and I get into our stupid arguments.

She was partially perched on a low shelf near the wall with her bass propped on her thigh, her hair falling into her face and foot tapping along to the rhythm she was playing. So absorbed in her playing was Katie that she jumped slightly when I tapped her on the shoulder.

"Posh Spice, how've you been?" I asked throwing my arms around her neck in a friendly hug. It was awkward, and a bit uncomfortable, but I guess that's because her bass was in the way.

Katie smiled somewhat reluctantly. "Still alive, unfortunately."

She laughed hollowly at her own joke, and I managed a smile as I studied her carefully. There was something very different about her…something that I couldn't quite put my finger on…

Other than the fact that she seemed a bit jumpy, Katie looked like…well, like she was glowing. And not to sound like I'm going lesbian or anything, but…were her boobs bigger than they used to be?

"Kates, don't take this the wrong way but…" I paused, trying to find a better way to phrase my question, but found none. Oh well. "Did you gain weight?" I blurted out. Yup, that was it, I'm sure of it. She was definitely curvier than the last time I saw her. Bigger boobs and rounder hips.

"Oh did I?" she asked, glancing down at herself. "I don't know, you know I don't really notice that kind of stuff. It must be all those doughnuts. I had this whack craving for them and I've been stuffing myself like a madwoman deprived of sugar."

Most girls would've freaked out and rant on about which diet she'll try next to lose the pounds, but with Katie, things like weight were never much of an issue. But I guess that's what made Katie so great, and so different from everyone else. She wasn't one to care about shallow things and do stupid stuff.

"Don't worry, though, it looks good on you, I promise," I reassured her with a smile.

"Hey Kat," said Zack, suddenly appearing beside me. He had just finished showing Lawrence the list of songs, and had probably come to tell Katie the same thing. "Here's the list of songs we'll be practicing today. Think you can handle 'em?"

Katie glanced from Zack to me and back again before taking the list from him. Tongue pushed against the inside of her upper lip, she browsed through the list, nodding occasionally.

"I think I can take these on," Katie said, sitting back down on top of the shelf, readying her bass. "But I'm having a bit of a hard time on one interlude in your song though."

"Yeah? Which part?" Zack asked, confusedly perusing the rumpled music sheets in his hand.

The two of them started talking about chords and transitions and stuff that I didn't really understand. Needless to say, I was left out of the conversation.

I cleared my throat, and the two of them glanced at me. Suddenly, I felt sheepish.

"I uhh…" I stammered, then gave a nervous laugh. "I'll just…leave this to you guys."

I pushed past Zack and wandered aimlessly until I found myself in front of the kitchen door. I raised my eyebrow. What was I doing here? I wasn't particularly hungry or thirsty.

Oh well. Might as well go in, I didn't have anything else to do anyway. Marta, Tomika and Alicia have (finally) starting warming up, and their voices quickly filled the apartment with blending melodies. My eyes still trained on the three singers, I reached for the doorknob.

But the doorknob, was gone. I looked up, surprised, as the door swung open and saw Freddy Jones in the doorway.

I think the age-old quote _be still, my heart _should sum up my thoughts then quite nicely.

I barely had time to keep my reaction in check. I knew he was supposed to be here, and I was prepared to see him. I just wasn't expecting to see him _this_ suddenly.

He looked equally surprised to see me too. His eyes brightened when his brain registered who he was seeing.

"Tink, hey," he blurted out quickly. The beer can he was holding slipped a bit from his hand, and some of the contents splashed onto his fingers and on his shirt. Huh. I know that shirt; I was the one who got it for him. I saw that shirt in the mall once, and bought it for him immediately, because I thought it was perfect for him. It was plain white, with a simple stick drawing of a drum set on it. Beneath the drawing was a phrase in block letters that said "Bang me." It made me smile.

"Hey," I replied, still smiling. "Were you back there all this time?"

"Yeah, yeah. I was talking to Ned. Guess I kinda lost track of time," he said, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Oh Ned's here?"

"Yeah, he came to open up the studio for us. I think Dewey changed the locks when Ned and Patty moved into a bigger apartment."

And as though on cue, Ned Schneebly himself appeared in the doorway. Even _he _looked the same, with his preppy clothes and dopey expression.

"Oh hello Summer," he said to me. He held out his hand and I shook it. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. You?"

"Same," he closed the kitchen door behind him. "I was only supposed to stay for a little while but then I started talking to everyone, and then I've been telling Freddy how the studio's coming along and got a bit carried away." He glanced at his watch. "But now I really have to split. I was supposed to meet Dewey five minutes ago at the tailor shop for our tuxedos."

"Oh, okay. Say hi to Dewey for me," I told him. He nodded before mumbling goodbye to me and Freddy. He strode to the front of the apartment, saying goodbye to the rest of the band as he went.

"Unbelievable," Freddy muttered beside me. "He's actually still with the hag."

I didn't even have to ask to know that Freddy was talking about Patty DI Marco, Ned's long time girlfriend.

"Some people just have a hard time leaving others behind, I guess," I remarked thoughtfully. "Maybe that's why he hasn't asked her to marry him."

Freddy shook his head in disbelief. "I still can't understand how he's able to put up with her this long."

"It's better than being alone," I shrugged. "Or it could be true love. We can only wonder."

"Or maybe Ned Schneebly is just really one crazy bastard," Freddy put in. "I mean, think about it. He left a life of rock 'n' roll to be a _teacher_, and now he's still living with a Yoko Ono wannabe. Tell me, does that sound like something a sane man would do?"

Before long, I found myself giggling as I leaned back against the doorframe, facing Freddy. Honestly, I felt better these last five seconds with Freddy than I have all week.

"So what've you been up to, Tink?" Freddy said, the familiar smirk gracing his features again as he imitated me and leaned against the doorframe as well, arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh you know, been out with my family a lot. My mother's going crazy with pampering Leila and me, really, since almost all of us are now in college. Only Alvin is still living with them, and even he only has like a year left of high school," I finished with a dramatic sigh. "What about you? Your mom showering you with embarrassing hugs and kisses too?"

He snorted derisively. "As _if. _Nah, I've been out with Frankie, Marco and Leonard a lot since they got back. Been out with Zack a few times, but usually the dude's not home."

"Yeah, he's been pretty busy lately," I nodded, dropping my gaze. Zack really wasn't a comfortable topic that I can talk to Freddy about. "I thought you weren't coming today. I didn't see you when I first came in."

"Oh ye of little faith," he quoted, pushing off the wall and shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. "Of course I'd be here. I told you I would be, didn't I?"

He grinned at me and I can't help grinning back. "Hey Freddy, you know I--"

"Freddy!" Zack's voice cut through my sentence. Both Freddy and I all but jumped out of our skins. "Dude, come on, we're about to start man."

"Yeah yeah, I'm coming," Freddy called back and started towards where the rest of the band stood. Then he stopped and glanced back at me. "Oh hey, did you wanna tell me something?"

I shook my head and forced a smile. "No, nothing."

"Oh okay. Catch ya later then."

Dragging my feet, I went to join Billy and the others, who now invaded the ratty red couch. I watched as the band began to play the opening bars for _Long Way to the Top, _the band's usual warm-up song, and once or twice I'd catch Freddy's eye from where he sat behind the drum set.

'_Nothing, really,' _I thought, giving him a small wistful smile before engaging Billy in a conversation. _'Just that I miss you, is all.'_

* * *

**_Freddy_**

"See you, dude," Frankie called over his shoulder, waving goodbye to me as he hopped into his Jeep. I waved back before proceeding to unlock my car. Band practice for today (our fourth since we got back from college) was over, but everyone was in a good mood, because we actually got through practice with minimal glitches this time.

Our first few practices didn't go as well as I'd predicted. It had been especially difficult for Lawrence, who hadn't really been playing the keyboard since he went off to college. The backup singers weren't as synced as they used to be. Tomika's voice is deeper and more powerful than ever, which is the exact opposite of Marta's voice, which was higher in pitch.

Even though Marta's the one who loved Christina Aguilera, it was Alicia who had taken on the Aguilera style to her singing, which sometimes threw off the others. Sometimes one of them would be too loud and overpower the others, other times one or another would go too flat or too sharp and totally mess up the blending. Sometimes, even I miss a beat or two while drumming, but that's only because I got a teeny bit distracted. (Three guesses as to what that distraction was.) Only Zack and Katie were able to stay in sync with each other's playing, probably because they were the ones who literally never put their instruments down.

We also had to learn several songs we haven't played before, like that new song Zack came up with and a few other songs that each of the backup singers were going to do for their solos. The songs for Tomika, Marta and Alicia were the hardest to do, since those songs were never really the band's usual style. They were more mellow and jazz than rock really.

But I'm glad we're getting our groove back now. I didn't want Dewey to think that we lost our rock mojo in just a few months of college life. Oh yeah, about the professor of rock, we wanted to hang out with him a couple of times but he's been pretty preoccupied with the wedding plans. The only time we actually got to see him was when he and Carrie went to one band practice so Carrie could give Billy her measurements for the wedding dress.

I gave a tired sigh as I slipped my car key into the lock. The others were also getting into their cars or catching a ride with others. Marta had hopped into an unknown (well to me he was unknown; I've never seen him before) guy's car, waving us goodbye and winking at Alicia like they shared a secret. I shook my head with a smile, remembering how she used to wheedle her way just so she could get a ride home with me.

Just as I pulled my car door open, I heard a familiar laugh. Summer, flanked by Billy and Gordon, has just emerged from the building. She bid the two queers goodbye before walking toward me.

There was a time a few days ago that she started walking towards me, and I almost went over to the passenger side of my car to open the door for her, since I was used to giving her a ride home. But then she just gave me a shy smile and said "See you" before walking past me, towards where Zack's car was parked.

She was giving me the same smile now and I returned the gesture.

"Hey Tink," I greeted her with a slight nod of my head. "Heading home?"

"Yep," she said, zipping her jacket closed. The fairy pendant I'd given her for her birthday was just visible above the V of the jacket, dully winking every time the streetlights hit it. "Just waiting for Zack. My parents invited him over for dinner."

"Oh," I replied, a bit too flatly, and remembered the dinners I had at Summer and Billy's apartment. Those dinners were a whole lot better than the gourmet meals I've been having alone in my house lately, that's for sure.

Stalling for time, I looked around and saw Katie and Zack appear at the building's entrance. The two of them were walking slowly while they discussed something in hushed voices. Upon seeing us, Zack squeezed Katie's arm and bid her goodbye. The bassist gave a defeated sort of nod and crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself.

"There he is now," said Summer, and waved Zack over.

"Hey, ready to go?" Zack asked upon reaching us. Summer nodded yes. Zack nodded at me, giving a friendly grin. "See you tomorrow, dude."

"Bye," Summer looked back at me before she let Zack take her hand and pull her away.

"Amazing how much things change in just a few months, huh?"

It was Katie. She now stood about a foot away from me, hands in her pockets, the ACDC logo on her shirt faintly outlined by the streetlamps.

"Hey Spazz," she grinned at me.

Katie's changed a lot since I last saw her. Oh no, not in the physical sense, since she looked basically the same. I think. Anyway, yeah, she seemed less like the cynical, sarcastic bassist I knew, and more like a gloomy, brooding emo kid. She used to have wisecracks for everyone, especially me and Dewey 'cause we say some of the stupidest things. The jokes came rarely nowadays…

"Hey Posh," I acknowledged her. "Aren't you going home yet?"

She shrugged. "Was just about to. I'm heading to the bus stop actually."

"Aren't any of your brothers going to pick you up?"

"Carl's taken the family car for a date, Bryan and Luke are out of town and Hal's still at work," she said, and then gave a laugh. "Bit stupid isn't it, that I have four brothers, a dad and a mom, but not one of them are available to come get me."

"Yeah well, at least they'll be home in time for dinner," I muttered. Katie raised an eyebrow at me quizzically, and I shook my head dismissively as though to say _never mind_. "I could give you a ride if you want."

Katie smirked. "I was hoping you'd say that."

"Liar. You planned this from the beginning, didn't you?" I scoffed, but went to open passenger side door anyway, with Katie following close behind.

"So what if I did? It worked didn't it?" she said, still smirking as she settled in the seat and put on the seatbelt.

"Just 'cause I'm such a good guy," I piped up, shutting the car door and hopped in the driver's seat. I gunned up the engine, and Katie took the liberty of choosing a song for the road.

"Hey, Spazz," she spoke up, as she worked on my iPod and settled for a Deep Purple song. "Can we, like, get something to eat first? I'm fucking starving."

I shot her a look. "Jesus Christ, Posh, didn't you just wolf down all those cookies at Dewey's? Are you considering a career in sumo wrestling?"

Believe me when I say that Katie had single-handedly wiped out an entire tin of cookies in one sitting. Now that I think about it, she's been eating a whole lot. Usually, she'd be found sucking on something citrusy, like an orange or a lemon or something. Guess she just forgot to bring her own supply today, which is why she chose to invade the cookie stash for Dewey's students.

"Those cookies were all air bubbles," she said matter-of-factly. "And is it my fault that my appetite's doubled since--"

She stopped short, and I gave her a sideways glance. "Your appetite's doubled since…?" I prompted her.

Suddenly she became very interested at a particularly invisible piece of lint on her shirtsleeve. "Never mind. Eyes on the road, McGee."

'_Oh, hiding secrets now, are we Posh Spice?' _I thought with an evil grin. I've a feeling that this night's about to become a bit more interesting.

* * *

We were seated in a bench at the park, the one nearest the parking lot where my car was, deciding that a diner was a little too noisy for our mood that night. We settled for hotdogs sold by a street vendor at the park and found a place to sit in. The park was by no means silent, but at least it was quieter than a diner.

Very few people came here at seven in the evening. The place was dark, with only the street lamps as the source of light, and at this time of year, the air wasn't particularly warm either. There were a few kids at the playground who were getting ready to go home, and occasional strolling couple or two, but that was it.

I watched with mild amusement, and just a bit of fear, as Katie snarfed down her hotdog sandwich (extra pickles; go figure) and fries with much gusto. I was only half through my own meal, but Katie was already on her second hotdog. Okay sure, the hotdogs weren't really that huge, but still. I've never seen her, or any other girl besides Michelle, eat _two _of anything that greasy for dinner. It's like a breach in the Women's Diet Code or something.

Katie paused, her half-eaten hotdog in midair. "What are you looking at?" she demanded.

"Man, you weren't kidding when you said you were hungry, were you?" I remarked, popping a ketchup-smeared fry into my mouth.

Katie grunted, giving me a sour look and swallowed. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing really, just curious," I shrugged, dragging another fry in ketchup. "But seriously Posh, you had better watch out, or else you'd end up heavier than Frankie."

Any other woman would've gone ballistic on that weight-crack, but all Katie did was give a disgruntled snort.

"Huh," she muttered darkly. "I'll and up heavier than Frankie anyway, so what's there to watch out for?"

I quirked an eyebrow. "What?"

She looked up from her almost-finished food with an expression of someone who'd just realized she wasn't alone. "Huh? Did I say that out loud?"

"Duh," I said, rolling my eyes. I crumpled up the trash from my food and aimed for the nearest trashcan. Hah, whoever said musicians should never play basketball was an idiot. I could so shoot three pointers if I wanted to.

Anyway, back to the point

"All right, Posh," I said, turning back to the bassist. "Whatever it is you're hiding, spit it out right now or I'll snap your bass in half."

"You would _not,_" she made a face at me. "And I'm not hiding anything."

"Sure you're not," I scoffed. "You know Katie, I'd really appreciate it if you at least pretend that you don't think I'm a total moron."

She dropped her gaze to her feet, scuffing the worn soles of her Chucks into the grass. Whatever it was she was hiding, it wasn't something to be taken lightly. I was suddenly overtaken with worry, my protective elder brother side showing itself again.

"Katie, hey," I said, my voice dropping in volume and reached over to touch her shoulder. "Sorry if I'm being stupid. I just wanted to know what's been eating you. You haven't been the same since we got back."

"Nothing ever stays the same, McGee," she murmured. By the way she was chewing on her inner cheek, I was pretty sure that she was working up the nerve to tell me something. She looked up at me after a while, her eyes searching my face curiously. "All right, if I spill, do you swear not to breathe a word of it to anybody? At least, not until I'm ready?"

Ooohkay, that's weird. "Of course."

"Do you swear on your drumkit?"

"_Yes_."

"And the Jones fortune?"

"The hell do I care about the Jones' fortune? Duh, Posh."

"Okay, okay, even your sex appeal?"

"Well, _that _I'm not so sure of…"

"_Very _funny," she frowned, punching me on the shoulder. "Stop grinning, this is serious!"

"I was kidding, geezus," I rolled my eyes. "Cross my heart, hope to die, stab a drumstick in my eye or however the hell the rhyme goes. I won't tell."

She was nervous, I could tell, as she drummed her fingers on the space beside her thigh. She took several deep breaths, exhaling through her mouth as she steeled herself. I was about to tell her that she was going to hyperventilate and die if she kept that up when she spoke up again.

"Okay, I--" she began, a resigned, hardened expression on her strong features. Her voice then dropped lower. "I'm pregnant."

For a good, long minute, I remained speechless, a dumbfounded look on my face, and my mouth opening and closing silently like a bewildered goldfish. I searched Katie's expression for a hint that said she was kidding and found none.

The first time somebody told me something like this, my first reaction was "It's not mine, is it?" But seeing as it's Katie I'm talking to right now, that reaction is so out of the question.

But Katie…she _couldn't_ be pregnant. She just couldn't be. Katie's no fool; she was careful when it came to this sort of thing. As far as I knew, she'd always been on the pill since she became sexually active.

"Are you _sure_?" I said finally.

She nodded meekly. "I used like fourteen different brands of preg test kits from the drug store until it got ridiculous, and then went to see a gyne." She sighed, blowing the bangs of her forehead. "Diagnostics never lie."

I gaped at her, sighing dejectedly when I decided to believe that she really wasn't lying. So I guess that explained her appetite, her weird cravings for all things sour, her mood swings and all…

"Christ," I breathed, shaking my head disbelievingly. "How the hell did it happen?"

"_How _did it happen?" Katie repeated, giving a weary, yet somewhat naughty smile. "Didn't your father ever give you the birds-and-bees talk? You see Freddy, when a girl and guy get really, really horny--"

Okay, stupid question, even for me. "Ha fucking ha, Posh," I glared at her, starting to get genuinely pissed. "What I _meant _was—stop smirking at me—how could you have let this happen? How could you have been so goddamned careless?"

"That's a bit rich, coming from someone who's given half a dozen girls their very first pregnancy scares," she snapped.

That's an exaggeration. A girl (totally forgot her name) I dated a long time ago had one, and came crying to me. It scared the hell out of me of course, but then that girl also sought out a gynecologist and found out that pregnancy scare was just that: a scare. All the same, it made me appreciate all those sex ed classes in high school. I'd been extremely careful ever since.

"It was just once, Katherine, and it wasn't even real." Katie's jaw hardened at my use of her whole name. Only Zack and I called her that, and we only did it when we were particularly pissed. "This kind of crap is expected from me. But you?" I sighed, shaking my head disapprovingly to emphasize my point.

"I don't need this from you right now. I already know how bad I got screwed—yes the pun's _intended_—thanksverymuch." she said, her voice breaking slightly. "God, Freddy, if I'd known you'd _react _like this, I would've never come to you in the first place. I thought you of all people would understand, but apparently, I was wrong."

Cursing under her breath, she stood up abruptly, knocking over her soda cup in the process. The drink spilled to the ground, splattering both our shoes.

I caught her shirtsleeve. "_Sit _down, Katie, we're not done talking yet," I said, tugging at her arm.

"Yes we are," she responded, stubbornly trying to steal her hand back. I tightened my hold on her wrist.

"Seriously, Katie," I said, softening my tone to show her that I was ready to listen to whatever she had to say. "Sit down."

She stopped struggling, her expression relaxing somewhat and did as I said. She slumped back down, arms crossed stubbornly over her chest, looking very much like a petulant child.

"How far along are you, then?" Even in my head the question sounded odd. It was even more odd to hear it out loud.

She put a hand on her abdomen, almost subconsciously. It didn't look any bigger to me. I wondered how weird it would look in a few months.

"Almost a month and a half," she replied quietly. "Damn, you don't know how difficult it is to keep this from everyone…"

"You can't keep it a secret forever, Posh," I told her, but she shook her head no. "You're going to have to tell them sometime."

"I already told _you_, didn't I?" Katie said, defensive.

"It's a start, but a fat lot of help I'd be. I don't know the first thing about this kind of thing." Then an idea occurred to me. Of course, why didn't I think of that first? "You have to tell Zack—or Summer--"

"No!" Katie interjected quickly, fear flooding her black-lined eyes, her hand shooting out to squeeze mine as if to stop me. But…stop me from what?

"What? Why? I know Zack's dense, but he's bound to notice when your stomach starts to swell, especially you're both in the same college."

"No, no, that's not what I meant," she said. "Zack already knows. But Summer…Summer you can't tell."

My forehead creased. I was having a hard time understanding what Katie was saying. She didn't want Summer to find out? But Summer was the most trustworthy person we knew! Even way back in the early days when I loathed the pixie with every fiber of my being, I knew I could trust her with my life. So what's Katie's problem?

"Why not? Summer, of all people, would understand, Katie. She'd know what to do," I insisted. "And what, Zack already knows?"

Katie dropped her gaze once more, guiltily fidgeting in her seat. I'm sensing a pattern here…a pattern that I did not particularly found nice. Flashes of memories went through my mind one after the other.

That phonecall Zack received while in my apartment, Zack rushing back to Manhattan without saying why, Zack and Katie talking in hushed voices both looking problematic…

"Katie," I began slowly, hoping against hope that whatever I was thinking was wrong. "Do you mean to tell me that Zack…?"

At that, Katie broke apart, the tough exterior she'd been struggling to keep in place crumbling to pieces around her. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking out from the corners and down her cheeks.

"Yes Freddy," she choked out, hugging herself as sobs wracked her entire body. "This child I'm carrying is Zack's."

_to be continued…_

* * *

**A/N:** Oh yeah, nobody saw _that _one coming, huh? Sarcasm.

Yes people, Zack and Katie. Who would've thunk eh? Well, okay, apparently, a lot of you (Nanners-77, A Bloody Vampire, D.M. Ralte, EpisodeSkywalker, Cupid'sBride, Writingrox12 among others) already saw that. And why shouldn't you, I've been playing that one up since Chapter 2! Shame on you if didn't get that one. Winks.

I kind of feel bad about taking a somewhat cliché route, and I'm not very happy with the way this chapter turned out, but I hope you guys like it all the same. At least I got it out after like, thirty years. It's already semestral break so I've been going out a lot, celebrated my 19th birthday and went out of town with a few friends, which is my excuse for the delay.

So the question now is do they tell her or do they not? Will she find out? How? And how will she take the news? All that and more on the last three chapters of _What You Least Expect_.

**Up Next: Chapter 17: Beginning of the End **(tentative title, I can't seem to think of an appropriate one as of yet)  
Let the holiday festivities begin, as the members of School of Rock celebrate Christmas in Dewey's new house.

Click on that dandy Review button now and send me love people!


	17. Author's Note: Hiatus Alert

To all my loyal and ever supportive readers,

Damn, you don't know how much it hurts me to do this…But I have to do it.

I have to go on temporary hiatus.

The second semester has just begun, and it has been _hell _thus far. Three days into the semester, I already wanted to die from all the workload they're making us do. I have to set priorities, and unfortunately, _What You Least Expect _is not very high up on the list. Most of my professors require pre- and post-tests every meeting, and I have a whole new set of books to know by heart. If I want to be able to have time for sleep, I will have to set WYLE aside.

And also…my computer had a fantastic meltdown. The internet was bust, so I couldn't go online for like a month, and then I somehow got a virus so we had to reformat the drives. The backup CDs I made, which contained all my drafts and unposted and edited chapters for WYLE (not to mention my massive music collection: 6GB worth of songs and soundtracks man…all gone…), _wouldn't fucking work. _It took me forever to get those chapters out, and now they're gone, and I have to start all over again. Does anyone know just how painful it is to lose the work you put your heart and soul into? Geezus, I wanted to just slit my throat and bleed to death.

I still have the handwritten drafts, but those are just timelines and are extremely rough, so I need time and effort to write them again. Had my backups worked, I would now be writing the final chapter for WYLE, and polishing Chapters 18 and 19. I was so close to finishing too…damnit.

BUT I assure you all that _I will be back. _Yeah I know, everybody says that. Thesolitarydragon did, and so did Phish Food but…yeah. But I swear, as soon as I make it out of this mountainous pile of paperwork, I'll immediately go back to working on WYLE. As mediocre as it is, I love my story and I think it's unfair to everyone if I leave it like that. Hopefully, I'll be able to post the Christmas chapter also in time for Christmas this year, and I'll do my best to post the rest of the chapters up before I enter my senior year next June.

I hope y'all understand, and I hope you'll continue to support the story **when** I do come back. In the meantime, I'm still watching out for updates on my fave stories and for new FS stories. Those things can seriously make me smile after an exhausting day in the ward. Come on people, let the creative juices flow!

You all rock.

Lots of love,

endymion

**Review Replies for Chapter 16:**

**watever101:** my, you're good at this prediction thing, aren't you? Haha.

**Cupid'sBride:** That was one hell of a story, dude. Had fun reading it though. From what you've told me, Anthony does seem like the better choice, so good for you. And what, he reads this? Whoa. (waves to Anthony.) I totally forgot to put in whack cravings for Katie…I mean duh, I should've seen that. Preggies do have weird tastes…sometimes they even crave for non-food items, like pencil shavings or coal or whatever. **A little vocab lesson for everyone, that kind of craving is called _pica. _**Haha. However, I did insert a little of that craving thing in Chapter 19. I still am having trouble with the chapter title for 17. It's not a very fluffy chap, and a teeny bit upsetting. I'm thinking of using _Jingle Bell Rock _or something but…bleh. I suck. I had Jackie appear in one of the draft scenes I made, but as I went along, I had to take it out as it didn't work too well. I'll see if I can insert them somewhere. And when the hell are they going to show One Tree Hill Season 4?! …Justin Hartley…the boy _is _fine, but his build's all wrong for Freddy. He's built like a jock, and I see Freddy as someone very…lithe, like a dancer or something. Funnily enough, I don't like heavily muscled men. My ideal body type for guys…have you seen Centerstage? Charlie, baby. Growls. Haha.

**Nanners-77:** A month-long headache? That doesn't sound good. Did you have that checked? (Haha, the nurse in me is taking over..sorry.) It's annoying when you can't find the inspiration, especially when you want to write so badly, but just can't. Been reading and re-reading Roma and all my other FS faves to find some inspiration of my own…until that freakin' PC breakdown incident thing happened.

**EpisodeSkywalker:** Funnily enough, the first draft for that chapter _didn't _end with a cliffhanger. The scene goes on to Katie's explanations and stuff, but I cut it there because I thought it worked better that way. Katie's explanation will be on the following chapter, which I said I will post by Christmas. Oh Summer _will _find out soon enough. You will get your revenge on that desk, I promise.

**FelonsDictation:** Oh dear lord, I read the oneshot. It was very beautifully written; I loved all the little details and stuff but mahn, must you make dear Freddy into a drag queen?! Beloved Freddy's a drag…had nightmares about that for days. BUT, I thought it was really sweet…in its own weird, twisted sort of sick way. Peace. :)

**KC4mesweetie:** It will be a good ending for everyone…at least I think so.

**Dana4Logan23-Ace4Mac: **Thanks so much! As for the updates...well, I don't think I can update very often, given the circumstances I posted above. I'm so sorry, I really am.

**Calli:** I feel your anger, I really do.;p

**mystic fire demon:** Welcome aboard! I'm glad you liked my pairing of choice…and story. Freddy and Summer are just the cutest, aren't they?

**Kevin'sQT:** Thanks for the greeting. :) And Summer will find out soon, and they will all do the right thing eventually.

**A Bloody Vampire:** Thanks for the greeting! Hmm…I'm 19, and I still hate school. It doesn't change much really. Or is that just because I'm in a ridiculously toxic course?

**deviocity:** they can't resist each other, no matter how hard they try. And yes, the fuse has been ignited and it's so very close to exploding. We'd all be covered in ashes from it now if my backup CDs worked. Damn PC viruses.

**Ilovestrawberries:** thank you!

**Kisshu-luv:** what do you mean, 'what do you mean Freddy and Katie'? I don't remember mentioning anything like that. Yeah, people sometimes choose to remain ignorant of something, even though in reality, they know exactly what's going on.

**Joua197:** glad to hear that my updates light up someone's day.

**xXxPrInCeSsAnGeLxXx:** Thanks, glad you like all the twists. I did work hard to keep things interesting.

**RIP MuM I love you so much:** Glad to have you back! Now it's my turn to take a break. Haha.

**leven:** reviews like these make me feel really bad for taking so long to update, and now going on hiatus. But thank you so much for the compliments, and for reading.

**Gothic Ghost:** We'll have more FreddySummer moments in the future, I promise. Thanks so much for the greeting!

**Adelaide:** gah, like I said, I reviews like these make me feel bad for not updating as regularly as I used to. I'll make it up to you all, I promise.

**Lilly-Rain**: yeah, it can lead to so many things, which is why it is a bit difficult to choose the best way to go. I hope _I _made the right choice. Haha.

**i am not a chipmunk:** Were the French phrases correct? I don't speak French at all and just kind of lifted a few phrases from movies and stuff. _Amelie _anyone? Haha.

**YAY:** Not really sure on whether or not it is in- or on- campus. I'll look into it. Thanks for the correction.:)

**hehehe:** I take it you're a new reader? Yes, that is jealousy coming from Master Jones.


	18. All I Want For Christmas

**What You Least Expect**  
**- endymion -**

**Disclaimer: **School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note: _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 17: All I Want For Christmas****_Freddy_**

Stunned silence followed Katie's confession. A car zoomed past, honking as it went along, bathing us both in very bright light before we were drowned in darkness again. A bulb in need of changing flickered in the lamp above us, its light dimmer than it used to be.

A group of teenagers who were walking by burst into laughter. It made me wonder how anyone could laugh at a time like this.

All around us, the world continued to exist as though Katie never told me the news that would undoubtedly change her life forever.

Beside me, Katie continued to sob quietly, a trembling hand covering her mouth as tears streaked down her face. I was torn between wanting to console her, to help her bear this dilemma, and wanting to scold her for being so foolish and careless. Getting knocked up was bad enough, but getting knocked up by someone who just happened to be in a relationship was downright evil.

"Jesus," I breathed, dragging a hand through my hair as hard as I could just to see if I were dreaming. Pain rushed through me as my nails raked across my scalp telling me that far from being a dream, what I just heard was harsh reality.

"What the hell were you _thinking, _Katie? How _could _you?" I said finally, trying and failing to keep my voice neutral. "Summer's your friend, goddamnit!"

She looked up, her teary eyes flashing. "It's not like I _meant_ for it to happen!" she snapped, but the quiver in her voice made the statement lose its sting.

"These things don't _just_ happen, and you know it."

"Oh so you think I deliberately went behind my own friends' backs and screw everyone up like I did just because I _felt_ like it?!" Katie raged, tensing up again as though ready to take off any second.

"No, I think there's something more to it than you're letting on," I said gently, holding her stubborn gaze steady. I had to remind myself that she needed a friend right now, not an annoying, hypocritical conscience on legs. "Tell me everything. I'll try my best not to butt in, I promise."

She glared at me for a full minute before giving a defeated sigh.

"Okay," she said. She breathed deeply again as she thought hard about where to begin. "You see, I was going out with this guy, Seth, for about two months," she began, reaching at napkins in the space between us and proceeded to wipe the tears of her face. "Things were going okay for a while. Nothing monumental, but they were good enough for me."

"But then, like all my other fucked up relationships, it all went downhill from there. We couldn't be together for two minutes without fighting," she said bitterly, crumpling up the Kohl-smeared napkin in her hand. "Anyway, on the night of our third month anniversary, he broke it off with me. The bastard didn't even bother to soften the blow. Just said that it wasn't working out and we should both save ourselves the agony and just break up before things got any worse."

She didn't see the need to elaborate on how horribly it went, because like Zack, I knew all about her past relationships. None of them lasted for very long, and they all ended badly. She always said that none of those guys were right for her.

I was about to ask her if this Seth guy told her why things weren't working out between them when she sighed gloomily, shredding up the tissue she was holding and reaching for a new one to mutilate. "Sneaked up to Zack's place right after, like I always did when I'm upset, 'cause I really needed someone to talk to. And that night I was beyond upset. I just couldn't fucking understand why stuff like that _always _happened to me. I mean, wasn't I good enough for anyone?"

The rhetorical question hung in the air for a moment before it passed by unnoticed. "Yeah anyway, I invaded Zack's place and started whinging on about how much I hated myself and crap, and maybe that's why men hated me too. And Zack went all…well…" she paused, giving me a meaningful look. "You know how he can get when he's trying to comfort people."

I knew. I've seen him try to comfort Summer, and even Katie, when either of them was upset. I can't really describe how he does it without sounding gay, so you people should just have to go on imagination. All I can say is, the dude knew how to make a girl feel special.

"He went on about how I didn't deserve to be treated like that, and how he couldn't understand how I always managed to end up with the worst possible assholes on the planet." Katie's tone, as well as her expression, softened from there. "He said I shouldn't feel bad 'cause as far as he can tell, I could never be _not_ good enough for anyone. He said it was the other way around; no one can ever be good enough for me 'cause I was…" she trailed off, her voice dropping into a low whisper. "Incredible…"

"I know it's cheesy as hell, but he was sitting _so damn close_, and I was just so freakin' distressed and I swear to God I don't know what came over me, but I came onto him and--" Katie broke her tirade off abruptly, a fierce blush descending over her features. "Well. I guess you know what happened next, since I ended up pregnant."

I frowned slightly, mulling the things over in my head. "Wait…You came onto him? As in you made the first move?"

She nodded dolefully. "Wish I didn't though, if I'd known _this _would happen."

"Okay, I said I won't act all big-brother and shit anymore but…what the hell happened to safe sex?"

By now, Katie had already stopped crying so hard, and the sobs eventually decreased to a few sniffles.

"Like I said, things were rocky with Seth and I," she said, matter-of-factly. Well, as matter-of-factly as she can while she blew her nose anyway. "We couldn't stand each other enough to even have sex, so I really didn't see the need for birth control at the time. When we broke up, I haven't been using my patches for at least two weeks. And when I came to Zack's, I really truly didn't plan on doing it with him. All I wanted was some sympathy, not a baby."

Another bitter laugh was elicited from Katie. I didn't join in; I didn't particularly see the humor in the situation.

Katie didn't seem to care though, as she went on speaking. "The lack of condoms on Zack's part is evidence enough that he didn't expect anything like that to happen either. I don't think he's the type to cheat on his girlfriend deliberately, especially since that girlfriend happens to be my friend too."

The wind picked up and blew away the shredded pieces of napkin on Katie's lap. I watched the tiny pieces fly off into the night, thinking of the next thing I wanted to ask.

"Did it happen again?"

Katie shook her head no. "It was just that once, and we never talked about it again," she admitted. "I think he felt guilty about it though, 'cause he kept acting weirdly sweet, as though he wanted to make up for it."

"Do your parents know?"

"I haven't told them yet. It'd ruin Christmas for everyone," Katie said. "My mom wouldn't be too happy about having another mouth to feed when she can hardly keep the rest of us alive. Zack said we'd tell them after New Year, once the festivities are over."

"And Zack's dad? Does he know?" I expected her to say no, but surprisingly, the dissent never came. I gaped at Katie, unable to believe it. "Mr. Mooneyham _knows_?"

"I know, right?" Katie said, shaking her head again as she let out a humorless chuckle as though she found the thought as impossible as I did. "Zack said that one parent is easier to deal with than 2 parents and four elder brothers, so he told his dad as soon as he got back."

I had this weird vision of Zack backed up against a wall with all of Katie's brothers clenching their fists at him, ready to maul the guy's brains out when Katie spoke again. "Mr. Mooneyham took it better than we expected. He's actually the one who introduced me to my gynecologist right now, who just happened to be Zack's mom's gyne too."

With a sigh, she got up on her feet, and this time I let her. The interrogation, it seemed, was over.

"It's late Freddy, let's go home," she murmured, pulling her jacket tighter around her and gestured for me to follow her.

We walked the short way to my car, the grass whispering beneath our feet and the cold wind biting into our skin. It was a relief when we finally got into the welcome warmth of my car.

The drive to her house was silent, both of us lost in our own thoughts. She was probably still thinking of how she'd get out of the situation she'd gotten herself into.

I, on the other hand, was completely at a loss. I didn't know whether to hate Zack for betraying Summer's trust like he had, or sympathize with him because this thing wasn't entirely his fault. Hell, Katie's even ready to take on the blame if she had to.

It was hard not to look at the situation with an unbiased point of view but I just couldn't help thinking that if Zack truly didn't want anything of this sort to happen, if he loved Summer enough, he would've been able to push Katie away.

"Hey Katie," I said as I rounded on the last corner before we got to Katie's street. She looked away from the window and up at me questioningly.

"Did Seth say why it didn't work out?" I asked as I pulled to a stop in front of her house. The question threw her off guard, like she didn't expect me to ask it.

"He said he couldn't force himself to be someone he's not," was her vague response, and she refused to elaborate any more.

"What did Zack say about all this?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "He said he wouldn't let me face this problem alone," she murmured softly. "When I went through this hysterical phase and thought if I should just abort the baby, he wouldn't let me. So I guess we're keeping it."

The last inevitable question formed in my mind and eventually left my mouth in a rush.

"What about Summer?" I said, and Katie stiffened visibly.

"What _about_ Summer?" she said, picking at a sticker on my dashboard. "I don't think Zack would leave her for anything…not even me."

The tone of her voice when she said that last bit was exactly what I needed to realize something.

Katie was in love with Zack.

It all made sense now, why none of her relationships worked out. None of the guys she went out with measured up to her standard.

"Katie…" I reached out a hand and laid it on her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze to assure her that I knew exactly how she was feeling.

She shook her head, and smiled morosely up at me. "It doesn't matter anyway. If he's in love with Summer, then there's nothing I could do about it. And I wouldn't even think of using this baby to come between them."

"When are you planning on telling her about…about the pregnancy?"

At this, Katie closed her eyes again, looking almost pained.

"Zack told me to leave that part to him," she said. "I think he's waiting until we get through Dewey's wedding. All this would cause some serious strain in the band's performance, obviously. And he doesn't want to make a mess of Dewey's wedding."

"That's an awful long time to keep Summer in the dark, Posh," I commented. Dewey's wedding was not until January.

"I want to tell her Freddy, I really do," she said, her head falling back on the passenger seat's headrest. "I can't keep lying to her like this, but I guess it's only right to let Zack decide. She's her boyfriend after all. So please Freddy, don't tell her. For all our sakes. Deal?"

Katie looked at me imploringly, holding out her hand for me to shake. This is wrong; they shouldn't lie to Summer like this.

But really, it wasn't my secret to tell, even if telling her was the right thing to do.

I shook Katie's hand briefly. "Deal."

She smiled gratefully, albeit a bit wearily, before she finally unfastened her seatbelt and stepped out of the car.

I watched until she disappeared into her house and sighed, hoping that I chose to do the right thing.

* * *

_**Summer **_

"You're late, Miss Manager," Dewey Finn said, feigning a serious face when he opened the door for me and Zack. "Jimi Hendrix rubbing off on you?" he grinned, slapping Zack a high five as we stepped inside the brand-new house and closed the door behind us.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Dewey," I laughed and let Dewey pull me into a brief hug. "And we're so not late. Everyone else is just early."

"Right, whatever Tinkerbell," Dewey said, holding out a hand so he could take our coats. "Gimme your coats, dudes, and let's put that coat hanger to use."

"Well, look at you, going all Becky Home-Ecky on us," Zack grinned impishly at Dewey, but took off his jacket all the same. I shrugged off the fur-lined overcoat I'd worn on top of my red dress and gave it to him as well. "And I like the outfit. Very appropriate."

"Yeah well, it's Christmas. Gotta show some holiday spirit, right?" Dewey grinned back, making an elaborate turn to show off his Santa inspired outfit. Even without the curly white beard, I thought he made a good Santa, what with the pudgy belly, and the Santa hat askew on his head. The tiny bell at the tip of the Santa hat tinkled merrily everytime he moved.

"Dewey, did you get the door?" said a woman in jeans and a red sweater. She wore very little makeup, just some eyeliner and lipstick, but she still looked very pretty. I've seen this woman before, and talked to her a few times on the phone, but I still find myself wondering sometimes how Dewey managed to snag such a great woman.

"Got it," said Dewey, following his fiancée and gesturing for us to do the same. "Carrie, meet Zack and Summer. Zack and Summer, Carrie Ross, my bride to be."

Carrie's face split into a grin and enveloped both Zack and I into a hug. "It's so good to finally see you in person, especially you Summer. Thanks for all your help with the wedding, we really needed it."

"Anything for you and Dewey," I quipped.

"Where are Ned and the kids?" Zack asked, referring to Dewey's bestfriend and Carrie's children.

"Joey and Karen?" Carrie said as she and Dewey led us toward a room where majority of the noise was coming from. "At my parent's hotel room. They flew in for the wedding, so I asked if they could watch the kids for a while so I could help Dewey out with the party."

"And Ned's with Patty. Hah, can you believe it? He'd rather spend time with Yoko freakin' Ono than party with us, the little dweeb. But what can I do, eh?" he shrugged, not really waiting for an answer before he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Dudes! Look who's here!" he yelled.

A pandemonium of greetings welcomed us as the rest of the band who was in Dewey's new place at the moment said Merry Christmas.

"Imma get you both some bubbly, you kids make yourselves comfortable, 'aight?" Dewey said, giving Zack and me a little shove before heading towards what I assumed to be a kitchen.

"Be right back," Carrie told us and followed Dewey in the kitchen.

Zack whistled, looking around. "Looks like the after-school program's working out nicely for Dewey, huh?" he commented.

I had to agree. Dewey's house wasn't massive, just a two-storey house with a small front lawn, a front and back porch and a garage. Still, it was certainly much bigger than the stinky old apartment where we used to hold practices.

The house was a bit modern-looking too, with snazzy furniture and leather couches and stuff, but still warm and homey. That was probably Carrie's doing. Dewey told us some time ago that Carrie and her two kids would be moving in with him after the wedding.

The party is being held in the den, which Dewey claimed as his recreational room. Several of his guitars (the ones he doesn't let the kids at the workshop use, I suppose) were lined up against a wall across the room. A billiard table was on the other side of the room, which Frankie, Leonard and Marco didn't waste any time on using. The three of them were around the table right now, playing a round of eight ball, no doubt. The girls, on the other hand, had occupied the leather couch in front of the huge flat-screen TV and were apparently singing karaoke. At the moment, Alicia and Marta were doing a rendition of _When You Believe, _trying their best to imitate Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston's singing styles. I must say, they were doing a fantastic job.

I spotted Freddy on the floor next to the Christmas tree, squashed between Eleni and Katie, as the three of them played with cards. He looked up when I came in, and I was about to make my way toward him when a camera was shoved in my face, blocking my path.

"Mistletoe moment!" squealed Billy, who was holding a sprig of mistletoe above mine and Zack's heads. Everybody then stopped whatever they were doing and started chanting "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" at Billy's command. A grinning Gordon stood about a foot away, camcorder in hand as he captured the party on tape.

With an embarrassed laugh, Zack snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me closer before leaning down to press his mouth on mine. It was a brief kiss, but everyone broke into raucous cheer at our display nonetheless. The only ones who weren't cheering, I noticed as Zack and I pulled apart, were Freddy and Katie. The two of them opted to look back down at the cards in their hands.

Trying to ignore them, I rounded on Billy, who looked positively cheerful in that Christmas sweater that, on any other night, he wouldn't be caught dead in.

"You naughty, naughty little lady-boy!" I mock-scolded Billy, poking him lightly on the stomach. "And _you, _Gordon!" I wagged a finger at Gordon too.

"Hey don't look at me, I'm just here for the documentation," he shrugged, laughing before turning his camera toward someone else.

Billy giggled. "You should've seen Frankie's face when I set him up with Eleni. He looked like he was ready to die. I'm absolutely positive now that Big Boy has a thing for Eleni."

"Yeah?" I looked over my shoulder to find Frankie. Interestingly enough, I found him staring at Eleni a little too long while he waited for his turn at the billiard table. Leonard had to poke his stomach to get his attention. "Who else did you set up?"

"Lawrence and Tomika," he said, his eyes dancing and winked knowingly at me.

"Aaaand? How'd it go?" I said, looking around once more, trying to locate the said couple. I found the shy keyboardist and the singer sitting together by the window, talking animatedly to each other, oblivious to the world around them.

"Didn't get any arguments from either of them, surprisingly enough," Billy replied, following my gaze. "Left Lawrence looking like a lobster for like five minutes though."

"You think they'd ever get together?" I wondered out loud.

"Oh they will, once they come to their senses," Billy remarked wisely. "I mean, just look at them. They're made for each other!"

Billy's right though. They were unusually close, and even a blind man can see the sparks whenever the two of them were together. The two of them had everyone in the band wondering all throughout highschool on whether or not they were going to hook up. They never did though. Or at least, not that I know of. But maybe there's hope for them yet…

"Nosing in on other people's relationships, are you, Billy?" Zack said jokingly and yelped when Billy slapped his shoulder.

"I'm not _nosing,_ I'm merely predicting," said Billy indignantly, setting a hand on his hip. "When I predict a couple's getting together, I'm hardly ever wrong."

"Right, whatever you say," Zack laughed, before turning to me. "Hey Sum, I'm going over to play billiards with the boys, you wanna come?"

I shook my head no. "I think I'll talk to Billy for a little while. You go on ahead."

"All right, see you later," Zack said. He kissed my forehead lightly before leaving.

Billy was watching the exchange with a quirked eyebrow the entire time.

"So I take it things are okay between you two?" he asked once Zack was out of earshot.

"You could say that," I said, shrugging as I shifted from one foot to the other. "But things just aren't the same anymore, I don't think."

"Oh really?" the tone of his voice suggested a rise in his interest. "How so?"

"I'm not sure exactly," I admitted. "It's just…he seems a bit distracted most of the time. Even when we're making out, he seems out of it. It's like kissing a stranger; like Zack's gone off someplace where I can't follow."

"But you know, kissing strangers aren't all that bad," Billy commented dryly. "And the sex?"

I swatted his arm. Trust Billy to bluntly ask me the most embarrassing questions. Blushing fiercely, I shook my head.

"At _all? _Since you got back?" Billy enunciated, as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He cringed visibly. "Oh God, it _is _bad."

I shrugged again. "Neither of us seems to be able to get turned on enough to go all the way."

Oh dear, I can't believe I'm actually discussing my sex-life (or lack thereof) so openly with Billy at a _Christmas_ party.

"I suggest you pry into your boy's life, Summer," Billy said warningly. "No sex is not a good sign."

"A relationship's not all about sex, Billy," I murmured, but inside I couldn't help feeling that he was right. Lack of wanting physical contact is definitely not a good sign. I just didn't want to believe it. "It's just a phase we're going through, I'm sure other couples go through the same thing all the time."

"Maybe," Billy shrugged, though he didn't seem particularly convinced. I couldn't blame him though. I wasn't convincing myself either.

Luckily, Dewey chose that moment to reappear into the room, two champagne glasses in one hand, and something that looked like a sack was thrown over his shoulder

"Sorry it took so long, I couldn't find the freakin' corkscrew," he said, thrusting a glass at me. I assured him that it wasn't a problem. He walked to the center of the room and set the sack down. "Present exchange people, gather 'round!" he declared, clapping his hands together to get our attention. Michelle stopped mid-song, cutting off her version of _Jingle Bell Rock _with a squeal and skipped over to us, the rest of the girls at her heels. The boys all put down their cue sticks as well to join us. Tomika and Lawrence left their spot by the window hand in hand.

Each of us had our own set of presents to distribute. Except for Frankie that is, who never in his entire life gave anyone a present. He said he just wasn't into all that Christmasy crap. Freddy told him he was just a cheap-skate bastard.

We spent a great amount of time giving out and receiving presents to each other. Marta had given everyone a tin of homemade gingerbread cookies. All of us received a knitted scarf from Tomika. Eleni, who had a knack for arts and crafts, had given the girls a charm bracelet each and a decorated mug for the boys.

"None of y'all had better complain with my present, a'ight?" Alicia demanded as she gave out her present for us. The present, it turned out, was a copy of the demo CD of her new album. The album cover showcased Alicia all decked out in Bohemian style garb. "This was my manager's idea. Said it was good for promotion or whatever."

"Not very vain, are you Allen?" Freddy smirked from his spot on the carpet. Alicia, in turn, hurled Freddy's present at his head, narrowly missing Leonard who sat next to the drummer.

Lawrence gave out an amulet of sorts.

"My grandfather said it means good luck," he told us when Marta asked him what the Chinese symbol meant.

Billy and Gordon chose to give joint gifts this year, and I received a bottle of my favorite strawberry perfume from the two of them. Michelle had given all the girls a different item of makeup, and a different wristband for each of the boys.

I, on my part, had given everyone a different slogan tee. Save for a few people, I didn't really spend that much time thinking for a creative present. I did, however, chose a slogan to fit whoever I'm giving the shirt to. Like that "I'm bad with names, can I call you dumbass instead?" for Alicia, who had always been known for her love for foul language, the "Oh crap, you're going to try and cheer me up, aren't you?" for Katie because of her well-known pessimistic attitude, and the "Like, duh." for Marta, who's always complaining about being stereotyped just because she's blonde.

By now, the rest of the band had already finished opening up their presents and had already found other things to do, like Tomika who now took over the karaoke and was belting out another Aretha Franklin classic, and Dewey who had successfully convinced Katie and Lawrence into jamming with him. The other girls, along with Carrie were watching the performances as they drank more eggnog and ate whatever Carrie made for dinner. A few others had found more interesting things to do, like Eleni and Frankie for example, who were making out in a corner and were probably too drunk to care whether other people are watching or not.

I sat on the couch next to Zack, the rest of my unopened presents sitting in a pile at my feet, trying to decide whether I should open them all tonight, or if I should leave some for Christmas morning.

"Good haul?" he asked, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

"So far so good," I told him. "You?"

"Same," he said. "Loved the DVDs by the way. Those should help with the boring hours at the Conservatory."

I smiled, reaching for another present, deciding I could open one last. I'd given Zack a collection of rock concerts on DVD.

"Summer, I _love _you!" Billy cried happily from across the room. He was holding the present I'd given him, and from his happy grin, I'm thinking he already saw what it was. I waved back at him grinning, and yelled back a "You're welcome."

"What'd you get him that's gotten him all excited??" Zack asked me before bringing a beer can up to his lips.

"Oh, just this book about beadwork and things," I replied. I didn't feel the need to explain that that book was an incredibly expensive one. The thing was heavy, with glossy pages and colored illustrations. But I guess it's worth it, since I'm sure Billy could use it in making the dresses for Dewey's wedding. And seeing as I'm one of the bridesmaids, I'm probably going to benefit from it too.

"Oh, speaking of books, did you like the book I got you?"

I froze, biting my lip. "Uhh…yeah. Love it," I said. I wasn't lying…technically. It's just that I already had a copy of the book he'd given me.

"Oh. That's good." He leaned back on the couch, his head falling back against the cushioned leather, eyes fixed on the ceiling. The faint red spots on his cheekbones told me that he's been drinking a bit more than usual tonight. He usually doesn't drink more than one beer when he's designated driver.

He looks stressed out too. There were purplish circles under his eyes and his chin now bore the beginnings of a stubble, meaning he's forgotten to shave.

"You okay Zack?" I ventured.

He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "I'm fine, just a little tired is all," he assured me, tightening his arm around my shoulders as though to pull me closer. I shifted in my seat, trying to find a comfortable position.

All our conversations lately were like that. Short, shallow and seemingly nonsensical. He was skirting around an issue, I know it, but I didn't want to pry any more than I already did else I'd just make the matters worse.

I don't think he's trying to break up with me. I mean, wouldn't it have been easier if he did it right after we fought? And he did travel several miles from home to pick me up. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't go through all that trouble if he's just going to break it off with me.

He already said he'd tell me whatever it is that's bothering him when he's ready, so I'll just wait until he is.

…God, Dewey's couch was uncomfortable. I've been trying to find a nice comfy position for at least two minutes now, but to no avail. So instead, I just gave up and leaned forward to find another gift to unwrap. I guess I could open one last present before I kept the others.

I tore away the wrapper until the contents spilled on my lap. Zack plucked the object from my lap, one eyebrow raised in scrutiny.

"A planner?"

"Looks like it," I shrugged, watching him turn it over in his hands. Yep, it was a classic, black leather-bound planner all right. It even had my name inscribed in front in gold calligraphy.

"But didn't you stop using these things when you got an iPaq?" Zack asked as he flipped through pages and pages of calendar-like boxes. I nodded yes. Before I discovered the beauty of an iPaq, manual planners were permanent fixtures in my school bag.

Zack's forehead suddenly creased, and it took a while for me to notice that he'd stopped flipping through the planner.

"What is it?" I questioned, peering over Zack's shoulder to see what it was he found. On the inside of the first page of the planner, a message in familiar scrawling handwriting leaped out at me.

_No more electronic planners for you, Tink. They lose your schedules, and then where would you be? _

_Merry Christmas. _

Zack recognized the penmanship immediately and turned his head toward me. "Why's Freddy giving you a manual planner? Is he trying to annoy you again or something?"

"I really don't kn—_oh._"

I pretty much broke into a happy smile right then when realization finally dawned on me, remembering my birthday and how much I've been complaining about that stupid Palm Pilot.

Sometime during my birthday, didn't I think about switching back to planners of the non-electronic kind?

"It's like he read my mind…" I murmured, tracing the words of the message slowly with my finger, the stupid smile still painted on my face.

"Freddy? Reading your _mind?_" Zack repeated, looking incredulously at me. "Now that's a scary thought."

I opened my mouth to retort, but was cut off when Marco arrived, tapping Zack on the shoulder.

"Hey Zack," he said. The two of us looked up to see what the redhead wanted. "There's someone at the door, looking for you."

"Who is it?" Zack asked.

"I don't know, but she's…" Marco shuddered visibly. "She's scary."

Zack shot me a confused look, and I shrugged, not having a clue as well.

"I'll be right back," he muttered, removing his arm from around my shoulders before he set out to see whoever was looking for him.

I drummed my fingers on the leather cover of the planner, thinking. That boy is so full of surprises sometimes, and I don't even know if that's a good thing. The necklace, for example—oh wait.

My hand automatically hovered to my neck, and I was a tad bit surprised to find my fingers grazing bare skin where a fairy pendant used to be.

'_You left the necklace at home, remember?' _I reminded myself.

Earlier tonight when I was getting ready, I tried to make up my mind on which necklace I should wear for the party. The choice was between the double-heart diamond necklace Zack gave me last Valentine's Day and the fairy necklace from Freddy. In the end, I couldn't choose between the two so I just decided to leave out the jewelry.

It feels oddly weird to be without it though…

Without realizing it, I'd started to wonder if this meant anything, and was rewarded with even more confusing and unwelcome thoughts.

"I need air," I said, shaking my head. After putting all the presents I'd received into my paper bag, I got on my feet and made my way toward Dewey's back porch.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

Being a drummer and an all around rock-lover, I never really appreciated silence, and thought it was way too overrated. But tonight, it seems to me that silence was just what I needed: to get away from all the festivities and just stay outside alone.

Don't get me wrong; I love my bandmates to death, but staying outside in the cold is a whole lot better than watching a certain raven-haired pixie cuddle up with my bestfriend in front of the freakin' fireplace, no doubt getting ready to make out within an inch of their lives. It's just too sickeningly cliché for my tastes.

Unless, you know, it was me in _his_ place.

So yeah, that's basically the reason why I'd declined jamming with Dewey, Katie and Lawrence and chose to freeze myself to death in Dewey's back porch. At the moment, I was sitting on the porch railing with one leg propped on the ledge and the other dangling down the side.

I sighed dejectedly, leaning back against the post.

"So much for happy holidays," I muttered to myself, throwing my head back until my skull thwacked against the wooden post, contemplating on the fact that this Christmas was fast becoming the worst one I've ever had.

"You know, Dewey wouldn't be too happy if he finds out you've been denting his private property. He's only had it for two days."

With the smallest of movements, I shifted my neck to the direction of the back door and saw Summer in the doorway, one hand on the sliding glass, the red of her dress clashing sharply against the blue paintwork.

"Somehow, I don't think the dude will notice," I said, smiling wanly as I watched her walk cautiously on her strappy, satiny wedge-heeled shoes over to me. (The shoes scream Billy, by the way. Summer wouldn't have worn those without a fight.) "Not anytime soon anyway. Do you know that he still hasn't figured out the reason why there's this big-ass scorch mark on the back wall of his old apartment?"

Summer smirked, eyes shining in memory. "That wouldn't have anything to do with you, a lighter and your failed History test papers, would it?"

"I was eleven, and it was a phase."

"Sure it was. And I'm Paris Hilton."

"Oh, so _that _explains the dress."

"Shut up."

I smirked when she rolled her eyes at me.

"You look pretty darn smashing, though, Tink," I told her and she gave a shy smile, murmuring a thank you.

"What are you doing out here anyway?" asked Summer. "Dewey's parties too boring for you now, Jones?"

"Nah. Just needed to get away from the constant badgering about my recent conquests," I sighed melodramatically.

She raised an eyebrow at me in true skeptical Summer fashion. "I thought you enjoyed bragging about your latest conquests."

"A gentleman never kisses and tells," I pronounced solemnly, a ghost of a smirk threatening to spread across my face. "Especially when he doesn't really have that many conquests to brag about anymore to begin with."

"Ah well, that _does _present a problem." She chuckled good-naturedly, hoisting herself up on the railing beside me.

"Oh, by the way," I said, dragging my leg out of the way to give her more room. "Thanks for the butt-pad. Very useful."

This time, she let out a full-fledged laugh at the mention of her Christmas present for me. If anyone's wondering, she gave me a—well I'm not really sure what it's called, but it's like a knee or elbow pad, only it goes on your ass. I think it's a sort of inside joke between us, hinting on that ice-skating fiasco a few weeks ago.

"I thought you might find some use for it," she said when the last of her giggles died down. "And thanks for the planner. I was actually thinking of getting one, to tell you the truth."

"Oh. Cool," I shrugged my shoulders, trying to sound nonchalant.

In reality though, there were so many things I want to tell her right now. Like how much I missed her these past few weeks, and that I've spent so much time driving by her house and dialing up her number, trying to get the nerve to talk to her. That everything I see and hear reminds me of her, and it's like a bad horror movie that wouldn't go away, or a Last Song Syndrome that lasted for a century. That I seem to be unable to breathe whenever I see her with her boyfriend Zack.

And then there's that little fact that the said boyfriend cheated on her.

I released a soft growl, rolling my eyes heavenward.

"What's wrong with you?" she glanced sideways at me.

I took a deep breath and faked a chipper grin, trying to find some other way to distract myself. A decorative wreath above her head caught my eye. The fake grin grew slowly into a genuine, mischievous one. I hopped off the ledge and stood in front of her, leaning forward on my arms, my hands on her either side.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked, eyebrow raised in mild amusement. I said nothing, and just looked up at the wreath above her head before locking eyes with her again. At such close proximity, I saw the movement in her throat when she gulped nervously. "Mistletoe?" she managed to say.

I shrugged, feigning innocence. "Wouldn't want to break tradition now, would we?" I said teasingly. But then my gaze dropped to her full mouth, and it was my turn to swallow hard. I watched, entranced, as she bit into her lower lip in a self-conscious manner. My mind all but shut down right then and there and I found myself leaning forward instinctively, anticipating the moment when I could feel those lips again.

Gently, a small hand pressed against my chest, pushing me away.

"Freddy," she murmured, looking sadly into my eyes, her hand falling away. "You know we can't."

Shit. Damn that pixie and her morals.

All the same, I nodded slowly, pulling away, trying to clear my head of her customary strawberry perfume and ignore the dull ache in my chest. Huh. Well there's a new experience. So this is why people are so afraid of rejection.

It hurts.

"Well, can I at leastget a hug?" I asked, gathering what was left of my shredded ego, forcing the corners of my mouth to curl upward again. "It _is _Christmas, after all."

To my surprise, she smiled and slid off the railing easily so that she was on her feet before me. Then she took a step closer before circling her arms around my waist in a hug that was tighter than I'd anticipated. I gave a rueful smile again and placed my arms around her as well. Suddenly, I understood what they meant by _so close, yet so far. _

But I'd barely etched the moment in my mind when the sound of a glass door sliding harshly open grated through my ears. Both Summer and I pulled slowly apart and turned towards the doorway to see who the intruder was.

Zack Mooneyham stood in the doorway, looking completely livid, eyes burning fire as a hand clutching at an envelope shook with irrepressible anger.

"What the _fuck_ is going on here?"

_(to be continued…)_

* * *

**Author's Notes:** As promised, the long-awaited (?) Christmas chapter! See, toldja I'll be back.

Here we have Katie's side of the story, sort of. Mostly dialogue, but I couldn't see any other way to put in all the other details. Of course, there's still more to that, and we'll see it all in a future chapter. Next chapter would probably be up on…ermm…April, which is the start of my last summer vacation ever.

No review replies this time around, but to everyone who did review, mucho thanks for the encouragement. Hope y'all liked this chapter.

Have a Rockin' Christmas everyone! Review me, okay? Mwah! \m/

**Up Next: Chapter 18 Broken**

Everything is now out in the open, all secrets revealed. And when you thought things couldn't get any more complicated, the do.


	19. Broken

_I dedicate this chapter to my good buddy _saicho-18_. I wouldn't have been able to come up with all the crazy ideas for this story without her._ _Saich, you're a fucking crazy bitch and you rock._

**What You Least Expect**  
**- endymion -**

**Reviewer Shoutouts!  
****Twiixx.:** Loved that mistletoe moment too. And I'd really love it more if someone draws that moment up(actually asked Mela if she could do it for me, but she's been pretty busy)…yeah well. One cannot hope for too much.  
**Jimmy Jojo:** Besides the fact that the chapter was also set in Christmas time, it's also sort of a Christmas present for my readers. Glad you liked it.  
**Annise:** Aha, so the cliffhanger worked, did it? Cool. It's kind of my first time to use a cliffhanger. Nice to know that it was effective.  
**sarah:** What's going to happen next is somewhat pretty clichéd already and I really don't have the energy to rewrite it. This is how I pictured the events would lead up to so I'm sticking to it. thanks for being thoughtful of the others.  
**Golfgal:** this is as soon as it gets. So sorry for making you guys wait. I'm working as hard as I could on it, I swear.  
**BroadwayHope: **thank you!  
**Mystic fire demon:** yeah, Zack has no right to be pissed off, given what he did, but I think getting angry is the first reaction one would get in such a situation. I try to put myself in my characters' shoes, and that's what I imagined them doing and saying.  
**Dragon Pants:** Whoa, in one sitting? How long did that take? Hmm…oh well. My story's not that lengthy anyway. I'm working on polishing the rest of the chapters at the moment, and I'm pretty confident that I can put all the chapters up before the end of May. **  
Wateva101:** believe me, there had been a few times when I didn't want to go on writing, because the plot gave me a headache. But I do so hate it when a story is left unfinished, especially if it's a good one, so I try not to do it. The different reactions to the situation/s will be seen in chapters 19 and 20. Thanks for the suggestions!  
**mRs.tRoybolTon89:** Another thing coming eh? Yep, Zack sure does. Nice new penname. A bit off topic but I'd just like to share that I am a big TroyKelsi shipper. I can just see the sparks between them in those very short scenes.  
**Nanners-77:** I'm so glad you decided to stick around. Did I already tell you that? And what do you mean, I'm not as emotionally attached to _Roma_? I have been checking and your new livejournal everyday for the update since you put up the previous chapter! That's how obsessed I am with it. Soon I'll be rocking back and forth, murmuring _Roma _repeatedly under my breath. Creepy. Blehehe.  
**Tonks not Nymphadora:** Eh well…it's up now, isn't it? Teehee.  
**Ilovestrawberries:** That creepy nosy weirdo is the one who made the story work, so we should be thankful for her weirdness. Haha. Major fight…eh well, I guess you're right about that.  
**deviocity:** Okay, I realize this is a little (or a lot) too late but belated happy birthday! Don't worry about Dewey's wedding, though. I'll make sure it's safe.  
**Gothic Ghost:** Thank you!  
**Dana4Logan23-Ace4Mac:** Your penname sure was difficult to write. Hee. I've been writing in all the spare time I can find, I swear. The time's just not enough. At least I've already updated now!;p  
**ERclaireER:** Yeah, Christmassy fics are awesome. I might just write a Christmas oneshot next year, when I'm through with WYLE. I don't think I'll have enough time to write a full story, but I think I can manage a few oneshots. Speaking of Christmas oneshots…I think I read an FS one before, its pretty good. _Happy Holidays _by _radiance-x_. Check it out if you'd like.:p  
**i am not a chipmunk:** Yep I do know that April is a heck of a long time to wait, but that's the soonest I can promise. Most of your questions will be answered in this chapter, but as for Freddy and Summer ending up together…well, there are still two more chapters to go and we'll just have to wait and see where it ends up. Hee. Belated happy birthday, btw!  
**Kisshu-luv:** I don't think Freddy's accepted the fact that he is indeed in love with Tink, so he couldn't tell anyone about it just yet. And you wanna see Freddy's what now?! Ooh, bad, bad girl. Haha.  
**CorruptedInk:** Yeah I've read your latest chapter and I absolutely loved it. I'm kind of pissed at myself for coming up with such a cliché idea (y'know, Zack and Katie being best friends and stuff), but that's what my creative vision told me and I'm sticking with it. Speaking of the FS front, I'm waiting for your update too!  
**LivingStoneLily:** Geezus, everybody's all psychic lately! I've updated now, don't cry. Read on to see if your predictions are right then. Enjoy!  
**littlemissvixen:** Thank you, I've updated as soon as I could!  
**NathanScott23:** One look at your penname and I knew you were an OTH fan. I used to be a LucasHaley shipper because the only season I've seen is the third one. But then someone was kind enough to give me the complete 3 seasons on DVD and I've seen that Naley was too huge to break apart. Had to give up the LucasHaley dream…sighs… RHCP is like the best band I know of. Thanks for all the kind words, you make me blush.  
**Kc4mesweetie:** Hee, so sorry for the long wait, but that's the best I could. :p  
**EpisodeSkywalker:** Yet another psychic, eh? Hee. I missed writing the story too.  
**Eva36:** Thank you!  
**read-on:** It's not everyday I render someone speechless. Assuming that it's a good wow, the short review flattered me, really. Thank you.  
**joua197inbox.lv :** Obviously, I wasn't lucky enough to update before April. But here's the chapter now. Enjoy.:)  
**scrivania: **Updated as soon as I could. Hope you like the new chapter!  
**Samurai Angel:** Don't die on me now, I just posted the new chapter! Hee.  
**x3coconutti:** Aren't you persistent? Haha. But here's the chapter now. Enjoy!  
**Lalika Kimpapkona:** Ooh…pretty penname… What does it mean? Is it Hawaiian? It sounds like it. Yeah, I used to do the same thing, y'know, copy everything on Word, before we got a DSL connection. Wow, I haven't realized that I got up to 236 pages. Thanks for the review. And the applause. Hope you like the new chapter!

**Disclaimer: **School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note: _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 18: Broken**

**_Summer _**

Never in my entire life have I seen Zack look as angry -- no…_furious --_ as he did at this very moment. Beneath the material of the band shirt he was wearing, he was literally shaking in his rage. His usually calm face was contorted into a scowl, shadows from the dim porch lights playing on his features, making him seem almost ugly.

It scared me, Zack's anger.

A frantic looking Katie stumbled through the sliding glass doors after him, struggling to catch her breath.

"Goddamnit Zack, would you calm down? You aren't even sure of any of this--" she was rambling on, as though trying to stop him, but Zack was too busy glaring at Freddy and I to notice.

"What the _fuck _is going on here?" he demanded, effectively silencing Katie's rants.

For a split second, I was confused as to what has gotten him all riled up like that. He came out of nowhere and I was still slightly dizzy from the smell of Freddy's cologne. But when I felt Freddy remove his arms from around me, I understood. The position he found me and Freddy in, though completely innocent, probably didn't look very innocent from where he stood.

It was probably his suspicions about this seemingly un-innocent scene that pushed him to lunge forward, throwing a fist at Freddy's face before I could say anything.

"Zack, _no!_" Katie shrieked, one arm outstretched before her in an attempt to hold him back. Too late. Zack's clenched knuckle had already connected with Freddy's jaw with a sickening crunch before anyone could stop him. Freddy fell back against the porch railing, his head barely missing the stone pillar.

I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, too stupefied to believe that this is really happening at all. My emotions had gone quickly from being all giddy and bubbly, to confused, then to afraid. I was completely stunned.

Freddy was just as shocked as I was. He'd taken part in a lot of scrapes and fist fights like this, and it was rare for someone to make him stagger backward like that with just one punch. And the fact that his best friend just tried to knock him out was not a reassuring thought.

Freddy was quick to recover, however, and was back on his feet in no time, wiping the blood that was slowly trickling down the side of his mouth. He was surprisingly level-headed and did not immediately fight back. Instead, he readied himself, his stance defensive, in case Zack strikes at him again.

I recovered from the shock just as Zack was getting ready to lunge at Freddy again, and I dared put myself between them, not even thinking that Zack could easily knock me over. He wasn't especially strong, but his anger made him more dangerous.

"Zack!" I glared at him, pushing against his chest, putting most of my weight against him to stop him from getting to Freddy. He struggled against me for a bit, but I held my ground, enough for him to stop in his tracks. "What do you think you're _doing?_"

I felt Zack's chest rumble beneath my palms as he emitted a mirthless laugh.

"Funny, I could ask _you_ the same thing," he spat, grabbing my wrists into his hands to brush my hands aside roughly.

"_What?_"

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about, Summer. You can drop the innocent act; I'm not fucking buying it anymore."

"What the hell is wrong with you Mooneyham?" Freddy cut in bluntly, stepping up behind me, his presence providing me with a sense of safety against Zack's wrath. Although I speak for both Freddy and I when I say that we have no clue why Zack was acting like this. As far as we know, we haven't done anything wrong… Nothing that he knew of, that is.

"I wasn't talking to you Jones, so shut the fuck up if you know what's good for you," Zack snapped. He renewed his struggle, trying to get to Freddy. His movements became too strong for my small frame that Katie had to grab his arms to help me hold him back. It was as though he was possessed by some unknown, unnamed and thunderous monster. With one forceful tug, he broke free of Katie's hold, but he didn't make any further movement.

"Would you _listen_ to yourself, Zack?" I said, pounding my fists into his chest. I've completely recovered my composure at this point and had enough sense to be upset as well. "It's a hug, we're _friends_ and it's Christmas. We weren't doing anything wrong, you're being ridiculous."

"Oh _am _I?" Zack interjected roughly. He threw a brown manila envelope at my feet. "Maybe _those_ will help clear things up for you."

Freddy was the one who picked the envelope up from the floor, but I snatched it away from him. Zack wanted _me_ to see the contents of this envelope, not him. I gave my so-called boyfriend one long disgusted look before looking down to study the envelope he had _so politely_ given me.

The envelope was thick; whatever was in it, there were many of them. Zack had it in his hands the whole time but I didn't really notice it until now.I ripped its top off, revealing the sharp white edges of photo paper.

My heartbeat picked up pace, an ominous feeling looming inside me, weighing my shoulders down as I pulled out the contents. This is not going to be good…

The envelope contained photo printouts. Large, notebook-sized photo printouts…photos of me and Freddy. Most of them were taken from within the college. There were shots of Freddy and I leaving the classroom hand in hand, of me sitting beneath the lunch tree with Freddy's head on my lap, in the library, outside on the street, inside the mall, going inside the movie house, at Henrico's…

'_Henrico's…wait a minute…'_

My hands began to tremble as I got to a picture with a background that looked a lot like the incriminating pizza place. There was no mistaking the blue plastic benches and white polished tables. The trembling grew progressively worse when I saw myself in the photo, sitting at the table with Freddy whose arm was around my shoulders, and Nana who was sitting across the table from us.

'_No…'_

The following picture, just as I feared, was an unmistakable snapshot of me kissing Freddy in the same restaurant. It was taken from a distance, and Nana's head was slightly visible in the shot, but the photographer had captured Freddy and I clearly.

From behind me, I heard Freddy suck in his breath. I could almost hear his thoughts. _We were screwed. _

But no. That wasn't the worst of it.

Whoever took these photos also seemed to be present at Andrew Kohlberg's Halloween Party. There were shots of Freddy and I arriving, of us moving through the crowds, our hands clasped together the entire time… of us dancing, bodies pressed close and gazes locked…

…Of us holding onto each other for dear life, sharing the same breath as we kissed.

"What do you think _you're _doing, huh, Summer?" Zack repeated, enunciating every word, his tone darker than the almost starless sky outside, his eyes almost mocking.

"Wh—where did you get these?" I spluttered, managing look away from the photos and dared myself to meet Zack's gaze. His eyes reflected anger and the feelings of a person betrayed, while mine held fear and guilt.

And, as if on cue, the glass door slid open once more, a very familiar person joining us in Dewey's back porch. The person stepped out of the shadows and into the porch light, and then I knew where these traitorous photos were from.

Olivia Warren.

* * *

**_Freddy _**

This can't be happening. Oh God, this is a fucking _nightmare_…

"_You?_" I blurted out. I could only stare in horror at the pale, dark-haired girl as she slowly joined us, the black leather of her jacket whispering as she moved. Her gloomy presence alone was enough to wash away whatever Christmas cheer I had. "You seriously followed me all the way here? You're fucking unbelievable Warren. How the hell did you find me?"

"If there's a will there's a way, Freddy Jones," she said blandly. Her face was as expressionless as ever, but there was a malicious glint in her beetle-black eyes. "But I didn't come here to find you. I came here to see _him._" She tilted her head in Zack's direction.

"I was right then," Summer's trembling voice floated from where she stood leaning against a stone pillar, as though too weak to stand on her own feet. "You took these photos and gave them to Zack. Why?"

"He deserved to know the truth," Olivia said smoothly, glancing at Summer before fixing me a blank stare once more. "Nobody likes to be lied to."

"You're insane, Warren," I shook my head in disbelief, absentmindedly stepping back in attempt to get away from Olivia. "A fucking lunatic."

Summer, on the other hand, looked desperate now. She carelessly put the stack of photos down on the flat surface of the porch railing, not really seeing nor caring where it landed as she reached out a hand to Zack.

"Zack…Zack please, listen to me--"

"Why the hell should I?" he cut her off sharply, ignoring Summer's outstretched hand. "Goddamnit Summer, how could you lie to me like this?"

"Zack, dude, this isn't what it looks like," I tried to reason out, but again he didn't seem very keen on hearing me out. Katie could only watch in tense silence, not fully understanding what was going on. I'm sure she didn't expect this either.

"_This_," Zack grabbed a zoomed-in version of the picture of Summer and I during the Halloween party and held it up against the porch light. I swallowed hard, the memory of that time flashing through my mind. "—looks like _you _making out with _my_ _girlfriend._" He shoved the printout into my chest hard, as though wanting to drive it into my ribcage.

"Like I _said,_" I went on, shoving the photo right back at him with one hand, determined to get my point across. I'll make the bastard listen yet. I may be guilty of feeling something else for Summer, but Summer is innocent. She kept everything strictly business; that much is clear. "It _isn't_ what it looks like. I thought Summer already told you that we had a--"

"_Deal_, I know," interrupted Zack, sarcasm dripping like venom in his voice. "But she seemed to have missed out on the part where she agreed to whore herself out to you."

Summer stopped, her posture growing suddenly rigid, a scorned tigress poised and ready to spring into action. She didn't seem so desperate anymore. In fact, she looked almost as angry as Zack was.

"Ex_cuse_ me?" she said slowly, narrowing his eyes at Zack. "Are you calling me a _slut_?"

"With you screwing around with my _best friend_ behind my back, it's not exactly difficult _not_ to," Zack said, meeting Summer's glare without even flinching. Summer's jaw dropped, so indignant that words failed to come out.

"You. Fucking. Hypocrite."

The words came from me, bitter, resentful and full of spite. They just spilled out of my tongue, surprising everyone, including myself.

Zack's hands clenched into fists. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he said, his voice dropping lower, more dangerous. Had it gone any lower, I wouldn't have been able to hear it above the music that was filtering through the walls from the interior of the house.

"What you saw in those stupid photos, those were all just for show. Summer only did it to get that crazy bitch—" I paused briefly to jab an angry finger in Olivia's direction. "--off my ass. If there's a liar in here, it's not Summer. It's _you._"

Katie caught on quickly, her eyes growing wider, more fearful. She was alert all of a sudden.

"Freddy, please _don't,_" she said pleadingly, nearly choking in her desperation. I paid her no mind. I was too furious at Zack and overwhelmed by the whole situation to notice anything else.

"It means that instead of accusing Summer of screwing around, you should tell her about how Katie got pregnant with _your_ kid!"

There. I said it, and I couldn't take it back. Not even if I wanted to.

All color drained away from Zack's face in an instant, his anger fading into shock. Katie fell back against the side of the house, her shoulder bumping loudly against the concrete, cursing under her breath and hiding her face in her hands in shame.

Olivia merely watched the scene with nothing but mild curiosity, as though she was just watching a boring documentary, not the destruction of four lifelong friendships.

I had to do it. They'll hate me forever, but I had to do it. Zack has gone too far. He can't accuse Summer of something he himself was guilty of. It's too much.

There was a long stretch of foreboding silence before Summer decided to speak up.

"Stop kidding around Freddy, it isn't funny," she half-whispered, her ragged voice slicing through the tension-thick air. She was devoid of expression, her eyes blank and undecided on how she should feel.

I crossed my arms over my chest, keeping my eyes glued to a spot on the floor, my jaw clenched tight.

"No…She's not…he couldn't have…you wouldn't…" she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence for once in her life, her eyes flitting quickly from one person to another as though wanting someone, anyone, to tell her it's all a lie.

Katie straightened from her spot near the wall and took a tentative step toward Summer.

"Summer, please, let me explain--" she began, but Summer sent an icy glare her way. Summer's hostile body language was enough to make the taller girl trail off and falter in her steps.

"You didn't," Summer said, her eyes finally settling on Zack. "Tell me you didn't."

Zack held Summer's gaze for a long moment, a look of guilt and misery passing over his features, before he dropped his head in admittance. He couldn't look at her anymore, not with the ugly truth staring at us in the face.

"I'm sorry."

Summer's face crumpled then, bitter tears springing against her will and lips pressed tightly together to keep them from trembling. Her breaths were rapid and deep, her shoulders rising and falling with each intake of air.

And then, without warning, Summer took three quick steps toward Zack, and slapped him across the face, the sound of her hand hitting his cheek cracking the fragile silence.

"Fuck you, Zack," she said with enough force, even though her voice was near breaking, before she pushed past Zack and headed straight for the glass doors.

"Summer, wait!" I called, running after her, grabbing her by the arm. She whirled around to face me, her hair flying wildly with a life of its own, whipping me across the face.

"_Don't_ touch me," she hissed, her tear-streaked eyes flashing angrily.

"Whoa, what the hell did _I_ do?" Why she was mad at me, I had no idea.

"You knew about this all along didn't you?"

"I--"

"You lied to me, Freddy," she whispered, looking so disappointed, she'd make even the Pope feel guilty. "You're just like _them._"

With a final tug, she wrenched her arm free from my grip and fled inside the house, her dress whipping against her legs as she went.

The glass doors were left open. The music grew louder, and making the reality of the situation even more palpable than ever.

"You want the truth? Fine," I growled at Olivia, advancing toward the gothic mole who had driven us all into the ground. "I'll give you the truth. This—all this _shit_ happened just to get _you_ off my back. Now, everything's fucked up, and it's all your fault. Now you know. Happy?"

She was slightly startled by being addressed so suddenly, but still she remained emotionless. It took all of my self control to keep myself from forgetting that she's a girl and from hitting her. Cursing under my breath, I began to make my way back inside the house, but a hand suddenly shot out and grabbed me by the arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" glared Zack, gripping my arm tightly, trying to drag me back.

"After Summer."

"She's _my_ girlfriend, _I _should go after her."

"Should've thought of that before getting yourself into this mess, asshole," I shot back. I tried to free myself from his grasp, but his fingers only clawed deeper into my arm. "Let me go."

"No way am I letting you near her again."

I smirked, unable to help myself. "Why, afraid I'll get her pregnant like you did with Katie?"

Zack's eyes grew dark and suddenly, punches were thrown. And curses flew back and forth like explosives. And blood spilled when a lip split, when a cheek bruised and a knuckle wounded. And egos were hurt and wished to be avenged. And a girl screams, _Dewey! Help!...back porch…Freddy and Zack!_ And dark eyes watched as two people who used to be friends brawled on someone's back porch, trying to kill each other because of a girl.

What's worse is that those two men – those boys -- in the fight meant every cuss word they uttered, meant to injure with every strike they made.

I lost control in that fight. Both of us did. Neither of us were thinking anymore. I think neither of us were feeling anymore either. It actually came as a surprise when two pudgy arms slipped around my shoulders and pulled me away from Zack. I thrashed around, my mind set only on causing further damage to the shaggy haired guitarist who was also being dragged away by a burly, dark-haired other.

"Break it up boys, come on…"

We were already in the kitchen when I got my wits back. Zack and I were seated on stools on opposite ends of the Dewey's kitchen counter. Dewey handed Zack an ice pack and Katie did the same with me. Everybody else was probably still in the living room, but the music died down. I know they probably knew that something was wrong.

"All right," Dewey said, sighing like a disappointed father. He leaned forward, propping himself up on the counter with his elbows. "You dudes care to tell me what's up?"

First, he glanced at Zack, who promptly looked away and stared moodily off into space. Then he turned to me. My fingers tightened around the ice pack, the skin almost turning blue from the cold, but I didn't speak either. The last thing we needed was Dewey getting involved.

"Katie?"

The bassist shook her head as well, giving Dewey an apologetic look before she stared at her shoes.

"Ooohkay," Dewey drew out the word at length, nodding slowly. "So we're not talking about this right now. But I guess this has something to do with Summer leaving?"

Both Zack and I looked up, our heads snapping up so quickly it was almost funny.

"Summer _what?_" were the first words I uttered since we got inside.

"Summer left," Dewey repeated, raising his eyebrow at me. "Like fifteen minutes ago. I was in here when she went so I didn't see her leave; Billy just came to tell me about it. He said she didn't say anything, just ran off, crying her eyes out."

"Shit," I heard Zack mutter. Two ice packs fell on the kitchen counter. We caught each other's eye, an understanding passing between us. We had to find Summer. Fast.

With rushed words, both Zack and I bolted out the door and into the night.

* * *

**_Summer_ **

I could hardly see where I was going, but I had to keep moving. I heard voices calling my name, but I didn't want to listen. They had questions that I did not — could not—answer. I did not want to stay at Dewey's any longer. I bumped into a lot of people on my way out. Who they are, I didn't know. They could've been friends…or strangers…liars…or traitors.

I honestly couldn't tell anymore.

I ran away…as far away as my feet can take me. I don't know how I managed it on these stupid shoes and I didn't care. I didn't care either that I almost got ran over twice. I crossed streets and turned on corners without paying mind to what I was doing. I don't know where I'm going, all I know is I had to get away.

The cold night air bit into my skin until I was numb. Numb…that's good. Maybe if I stay out here long enough my entire body would just…stop feeling. And maybe then I won't feel the raw agony that was burning me up from the inside.

I just couldn't understand it. _How_? How could they do this to me? Zack and Katie of all people! Two people I've loved and trusted wholeheartedly. Two people I thought would never do anything to hurt me had gone and stabbed me in the back with a blunted, jagged knife.

I laughed bitterly. And they say I know it all. "You don't know everything, Summer," I whispered, even though I knew no one could hear me.

And Freddy. He kept on acting like he cared, like actually felt something for me, but he isn't any different. All those stints, all those acts of false affection…he probably only did them because he _knew _about Zack and Katie and felt _sorry_ for me.

Well. I didn't need his pity. I didn't need him. I didn't need anyone.

It's just not fair. I've done everything, _everything, _in my power to stay loyal to Zack. I've struggled to let my feelings for him stay the same, even though the distance made it difficult for me.

I stayed loyal, even though my recent closeness with the drummer proved to be more than just a challenge.

Even as I denied everything, I know that I am very much drawn to Freddy Jones. I'm attracted to him, so much that resisting the urge to give in and fall for him is almost impossible. Of course it is. Freddy is attractive. Freddy is a charmer. Out of pity or not, Freddy had done everything Zack should have and more. Freddy was there when Zack wasn't. Anyone else in my shoes wouldn't have been able to even _think_ about resisting him.

But I managed it. I resisted the charm that had so many women had fallen for. I resisted him whose smirk could suddenly lift spirits, whose arms can give a sense of security unlike any other, whose touch and kisses are nothing short of blissful. I did it all for Zack. All because I thought it was unfair of me to be fooling around behind his back when I thought he was trying _so hard_ to keep our relationship from falling apart. All because I honored the almost four-year long commitment that I had with him, and thought he would do the same for me. All because I thought our relationship – and our friendship -- meant something to him, like it meant the world to me.

Obviously, I was wrong.

'_I just wasn't enough…was I, Zack?'_

My legs stopped moving, and I fell forward, leaning on my knees to catch my breath. I'm not sure how long I've been walking (or running, I don't know either), but I know it's been a while. My legs felt like lead. And when I finally saw through the haze inside my head, I found that my feet had taken me to Dewey's old apartment.

I was back at the old School of Rock workshop, back to where everything had started.

I rushed inside the familiar building, knowing I'd find the spare key under the Welcome rug, like it had always been. I slipped inside, not bothering to switch the lights on. Worn carpeting muffled my footsteps. The ratty old couch was there, ready and waiting for me to collapse on it. It was a comforting thought that some things never really change.

But when I saw the white Flying V that Zack used to play, all comfort in that thought vanished.

Sinking on the couch, I hugged my knees to my chest and finally cried.

* * *

**_Freddy_ **

"Summer!" I called out into the night. My eyes roamed the streets, squinting against lamp posts and streetlights, hoping to catch a glance of her raven hair, or her red dress, but it was in vain. Faces turned in my direction, some confused, others annoyed, but none of them was Summer's.

I already looked for her everywhere I could think of. I tried her house, but her elder brother Drake said he hasn't seen Summer yet. He didn't look like he was lying. I tried the park, and that big old weeping willow behind Horace Green where we used to hang out, but she wasn't there either. I looked in all the bars, and all the clubs I knew, just in case. The local libraries were closed.

I cursed, flinging myself back into my car and got back on the road, even though I had no idea where to go next. I just had to find her, and see if she was all right.

"All right, hah,"I scoffed. Of course she _wouldn't_ be all right. Would you be all right if the person you loved most in the world had just broken you? Not only your trust, not only your heart but all of you?

I didn't think so.

Zack is looking for her too, you know. He's probably out checking the places that he and Summer frequented when we were still in high school. We agreed, albeit very begrudgingly, that whoever found her first would give the other a shoutout. We didn't want to, but we knew we could cover more ground this way, and we could find her faster.

But even with that agreement, this search felt like a competition. This isn't a contest, I know that. I know we had to find Summer as soon as possible before she hurt herself, but I wanted to find Summer before Zack does.

Damn Zack, the fucking bastard. He didn't deserve her.

Where could she be? She didn't have a car; she couldn't have gone too far…could she? It's been an hour since she ran off. Who knew what could happen to her?

No, scratch that. Summer is a control freak. She's used to having everything mapped out from step one, even her relationships. And when something goes wrong, she blames herself for it, thinking she didn't work hard enough. Who knew what she'd do to _herself_?

I don't even want to think about that.

Then…it clicked. The answer was so fucking _obvious_; I wanted to kick myself in the head for not thinking of it sooner.

"Jesus, I'm an _idiot_!" I cussed, settling for a smack on the forehead instead and stomped on the brakes. My car came screeching to a halt before I turned it sharply around. Luck seems to be on my side tonight; I escaped quite a few accidents and received several dirty fingers with that stunt.

Going as fast as the speed limit would allow, I maneuvered the car through the traffic until I stopped in front of a building.

Dewey's old place.

* * *

"Summer?" 

I pushed against the door of Dewey's old apartment, the rusty hinges emitting a noisy creak as it opened. It took me exactly two seconds to locate her. It wasn't difficult; the red of her dress made her stand out from the plain, earth-toned colors of the unit. She was slumped on a spot on the floor next to the couch, legs tucked beneath her, her raven hair spilling down her shoulders and back. Her shoes were beside her as though she just threw them there the first chance she got. A half-empty bottle of rum, something she probably got from Dewey's old stash, was clutched in her hand as she stared off into space.

"Summer," I said again, louder this time as I approached her on the couch. It was either she didn't hear me or she was pointedly ignoring me. Either way, she didn't respond and just proceeded to raise the bottle to her lips once more.

Dropping on my knees in front of her, I peered at her face, trying to see through the mess of dark hair. She had been crying; I could tell from the swelling around her eyes and the slight sniffling. I reached out a tentative hand and tried to take the bottle away from her.

She swatted my hand away drunkenly, and shrank back, trying to put distance between us.

"Get th' hell 'way from me," she slurred, her breath reeking strongly of alcohol. Damn, she was wasted. From what I can remember, her alcohol tolerance isn't any better than it was since our drinking game in _Ipanema_. She knows she could hardly tolerate the stuff, but here she was, trying to finish an entire _bottle_ of rumby herself.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing?!" I demanded.

"Gettin' drunk, whazzit look like 'm doin'?"

I tried to grab the bottle again but she held it away from my grasp.

"But you don't drink," I pointed out.

"Yes I do," she tried to glare at me but her eyes were completely unfocused. I made a grab for the rum again, and this time I was successful. I put it on the table on the far end of the couch, well out of Summer's reach.

"Whaddaya want Jones?" she snapped, hugging her knees, resting her forehead on them.

I sat down beside her and stroked her hair in what I hoped was a soothing manner. "I went to see if you're okay."

"'Course 'm okay, why th' fuck wouldn't I be?" she said, flinching away from my touch and getting up on her feet. She wandered away with uncalculated steps, her gait swinging and precarious.

"Jus' 'cause my boyfriend's screwing some other chick--" she went on saying in this drunken, matter-of-fact tone as though she was just narrating a story she heard. "--who jus' happens to be my friend, doesn' mean I won't be okay."

She stumbled towards the nearest wall, where the instruments that haven't made it to Dewey's new home were displayed. An old Gibson guitar, a white Flying V, caught her eye and she picked it up. She held it by the neck, gazing at it in a crestfallen sort of way. And then, before I could figure out what she wanted to do, she smashed the guitar against the wall, the instrument denting the already flimsy paintwork as it shattered apart.

"_Fucking, lying asshole_!"

Only then did I realize that the guitar used to be played by Zack.

Her scream bounced off the walls, the misery in her voice reverberating inside the small apartment. With tears running down her cheeks, she continued to mutilate the instrument, still screaming and cursing herself hoarse. I sprang to my feet, nearly twisting my ankle in the process, and quickly went to stop her.

"Summer, get a hold of yourself, goddamnit!" I yelled, grabbing her by the arms and hugging her from behind.

"Let _go_!" she screeched and struggled against me, but I kept my arms tightly locked around her arms and waist. I dragged her away from the other instruments, saving them from the wrath of a scorned Summer. Her thrashing gradually slowed down, along with the softening of her cries. The broken remains of the guitar fell away from her hands as she collapsed on the floor, dragging me down with her as she sobbed on my shoulder.

Resting my head on top of hers, I sighed. I loosened my hold on her, but I kept my arms in place as I tried to think of what I should do now. We can't stay here, that's for sure. Dewey and Ned will be holding class here tomorrow, and they can't have a drunken, angry teen distracting the little ones with her obscenities. And I don't think Dewey will be too happy with her when he sees the remnants of what used to be a Gibson guitar.

But she can't go home like this either. Her parents are _still _living in an illusion where their little girl was all sweet and innocent and virginal. She's dead if she went home trashed.

"Come on Tink, let's get out of here," I murmured into her ear. She shook her head no, and this time I rolled my eyes. Damn pixie. Even when she's drunk, she's _still_ stubborn as hell. Despite her objections, I picked her up off the floor easily, taking her forgotten shoes with me.

"Put me down," she protested, though very weakly. Her sudden outburst plus the emotional trauma from earlier must've tired her out. I ignored her protests and carried her all the way down to my car.

She was half-asleep, her head falling on my shoulder when we got back to the car. I strapped her in the passenger seat before I got on the driver's seat.

As I gunned up the engine, I put my phone in my ear after dialing the number of the first trustworthy person I could think of.

"Billy?"

"Freddy, thank goodness!" Billy half-screamed into the phone in his relief. "What happened? Did you find her? Is she all right?"

"Relax, she's with me right now," I told him, finding Billy's concern almost funny. It was also kind of touching. "Listen, Billy. Summer can't see Zack or Katie; she'll probably have a worse emotional breakdown if she does. But I can't take her home; her parents can't see her like this. Can she stay at your place?"

"Of course she—no, wait," Billy said. I could hear footsteps on the other line, as though Billy was pacing. "That won't work. My mom's home, and she might report to Summer's folks. She and Mrs. Hathaway work for the same company."

"Shoot," I hit the steering wheel with the heel of my hand. There goes my only choice. "All right, fine, I'll take care of her. If her parents call, just make up an excuse or something."

After a doubtful silence at the other end of the line, Billy finally said "All right. Just take care—_hey_!"

There was a shuffling noise and then Zack was on the line. "You found her?"

"Yeah."

"Well? Tell me where you are, I'll be right there."

I turned a corner, my grip tightening on the steering wheel as I let out a snort. "You're the last person she wants to see right now, man. You can't see her."

"What the fuck are you talking about? Give her the phone, let me talk to her."

"She's a mess. Forget talking, she can hardly stay awake. I'll call you when she sobers up." Or not.

"Wait--!"

I flipped the phone closed, ignoring Zack and switched it off just as I drove past the gates of the Jones' residence.

* * *

"Mister Jones?" Prudence greeted me, as she rubbed the sleep away from her eyes. She was still in her nightgown, disgruntled from being awakened at two in the morning. 

At the sight of the almost unconscious girl in my arms, Prudence almost stumbled forward, switching on a light in the foyer. "What's going on? Is she all right?"

"She'll be fine," I waved her question away. "Are any of the guest rooms available?"

"I'm sorry Mister Jones. The guest rooms are locked up and haven't been cleaned yet. Would you like me to get one ready for you?"

I cursed softly before shaking my head no. "Never mind, I'll figure something out. Thanks Prudence."

Halfway up the stairs, I turned back around. "And Prudence?"

"Yes Mister Jones?"

"If anyone asks, nobody's home."

The middle-aged woman raised a skeptical eyebrow at me before nodding. She was used to my mischief and hardly ever interfered, as long as her job was safe. "Of course."

I climbed the rest of the way to the second floor and I heard Prudence disappear inside her room downstairs, her door shutting with a faint _click_. The light in the foyer went out, and it was dark again. No matter; I knew the way to my room even with my eyes closed.

Compared to the rest of the house, my room looked most different. I've covered up the fancy wallpaper with band posters, and it's usually a mess in here.

It wasn't a mess now though, since I hardly ever stay in here since I got back from college. Good ol' Prudence always cleaned up after me anyway, so I wasn't worried about letting Summer sleep in a pigsty.

Carefully, I put Summer down on the bed, propping her up with her back on a pile of goose-down pillows. I left overhead light off so as not to wake her. The lampshade on my side table was the only source of light. It bathed her in yellow-gold, making her look luminous in the half-light. Tears clung to her lashes still. Even in her sleep, she looked miserable.

I sat on the edge of the bed, watching the shadows that were playing on her skin for an indefinite period of time. I wasn't sure whether or not I should leave her and go sleep on the couch just outside the room, or if I should stick around until she wakes up.

But then she stirred, rolling over to her side until her face was half-buried against a pillow.

And then she started to cry. She cried very silently, but her whole body was wracked with sobs, and I could see, even feel, the effort she exerted as she tried to gasp for air without making a sound.

"Summer, hey…" I murmured, inching closer to her so I could pull her into my arms. It didn't take much to convince her. She readily obliged, her form curling up against me, her head resting in the junction between my shoulder and neck, fingers twisting on the cloth of my shirt. She cried and cried until her tears were soaking my shirt and she was out of breath.

I cursed inwardly, wanting so much to soothe her, to take her pain away, but not knowing how. I wanted to break Mooneyham's face for doing this to her. Wasn't it enough that he had her? Did he know that by hurting her, he'd hurt me even worse?

We sat like that for a while, silently seeking comfort in each other's arms. When her sniffles quieted down, I thought she'd fallen asleep. I began to remove my arms from her waist, but her fingers clenched on my shirt, stopping any further movement.

"Please don't leave me…" She said it so softly, her voice hoarse from crying, that I thought I might have imagined it.

But then she kissed me.

And it was like taking a mouthful of water after living in a drought for so long. It was slow…terribly, heartbreakingly, slow that it left me aching for more until too much for me to bear. I kissed her back, letting her arms circle my neck as I pulled her closer, my mouth searching hers insistently, feverishly, unable to ignore the desire to taste her again. She smelled of strawberries and tasted of liquor, and it was intoxicating. I wanted to drown in her.

Some of the pillows fell on the floor as I pushed her on her back, pressing her deeper into the bed. And she was kissing me so eagerly, so impatiently that it was almost bruising. I nipped at her lip, and her mouth parted, and I was exploring her with my tongue. A moan escaped me when she caressed the roof of my mouth, her fingers threading through my hair. Soon we were both gasping from lack of oxygen, but we wouldn't dare let go, clinging to each other like our very breaths depended on it.

And soon I was kissing and sucking my way down her jaw, down the side of her neck while I fumbled beneath her so I could unzip her dress from behind. I pulled it down her shoulders, the silky material slipping off her body with ease. She tugged at my shirt, nearly tearing out the buttons in her haste. Persistent hands spanned my chest, nails scratched the skin of my abdomen and elicited a growl from me. My own hands slid down her sides, silently awed that the silk of her dress was nothing compared to the skin of her stomach. She arched against me, hardness digging into her thigh, our bodies pressing ever closer together.

"Summer..._God_…" Damn, I needed her. I needed her like I needed air.

It was only when I tasted her tears that I was sent harshly back to reality.

With much difficulty, I tore my mouth away from her and propped myself up on my elbows.

"This…this isn't right," I breathed heavily, trying to gather what was left of my wits.

She probably thought I was Zack. She's drunk; she doesn't know what she's doing. As much as I wanted her, I wouldn't be able to live with the fact that she's only doing this because she thinks I'm someone else.

I wanted to laugh at the irony of it. With any other girl, I wouldn't have cared if she thought I was the Dalai Lama. As long as she wanted to have sex with me, I'd go for it. This proves just how much being with Summer, however briefly, has changed me.

I was about to pull away when she reached out to me, cupping my cheek with her hand.

"Freddy, please…" she said again, her voice soft and pleading.

She called me Freddy. She didn't think I was Zack. She knew it was me all along. All those kisses, those desperate touches...they were meant for me, not Zack. Her eyes, though shining with tears and somewhat glazed, burned with a passion as she looked into mine. I brushed away the tears on her cheek with my thumb, unable to look away. I should've known; I could never turn away from her even if I wanted to.

She pulled me down by the collar of my shirt and kissed me again.

'_This is wrong…I can't do this,' _a voice in my mind said over and over, preventing me from savoring the feel of her lips._ 'Not to her, and not when she's so vulnerable.' _

'…_But I'm vulnerable too!_' argued another voice. I was only human, and I've wanted this for God knows how long. I didn't want to take advantage of her in this state, but how am I supposed to hold back, when she was half-naked in _my_ bed and practically throwing herself at me? And when she said my name like that, like she needed me as much as I needed her… My restraint could only take so much.

I buried my face into her neck, completely giving in to the temptation.

I reached over and switched the lampshade off. _'I'm sorry…' _I thought as skin fused with skin and I covered her entire length on the bed.

And without needing words at all, I expressed her just how I felt for her in the darkness of this broken night.

_

* * *

_**A/N:** Hello readers! I am back, and it's April, just like I promised! The chapter needs work, I know, 'cause I'm trying out a new writing style, and I'm not sure if I pulled it off. I made a mess of my tenses yet again, but whatever. At least the chapter is up now. 

Oh yes, that last line meant sex. Finally.

This, along with parts of chapters 9 and 19, was one of the first chapters that I wrote for WYLE. At the time, the scenes just came to me out of the blue and I wrote them down before I realized how freakishly cliché they were. People were guessing what's about to happen right and left, and most of you are right! I was thinking of rewriting just to keep the element of surprise, but then laziness prevailed so you're stuck with the cliches. Sorry.:p

That last scene is a huge cheeseball, and it could be easily edited out, no problem, but I think I owe everyone some major SummerFreddy action.

Chapter 19 still needs a lot of editing, but its mostly done. Chapter 20 is well under way. Not sure when I'll have them up though, because I'm on summer vacation, and the family wants bonding time out of town. But don't worry, I'll have them all up before June.

**Up Next Chapter 19: Confrontations**

People always fear the Morning After. Is _this _Morning After any different? Also: lots of girl talk. And some boy talk. And then some. Just when you think it's all over, it's not. Long chapter ahead, be sure to check it out.:)

Don't forget to _**Review!**_


	20. Confrontations

**What You Least Expect**  
**- endymion -**

**Cupid's Bride:** You know what? The April Fool's joke did cross my mind. I was kinda thinking of putting in a _Sorry, no chapter yet, April Fool's! _at the beginning of the chapter, y'know, just to confuse people, but then I thought that you guys might get all annoyed and close the window before you even see it's a joke (I know I would). So no April Fool's joke. And what the eff is up with the fandom? Have you seen the new stories lately? I hope you update your story soon too, we seriously need to remedy this.  
**Kissu-luv:** You mean you aren't able to imagine how they look like older? Wow. That kinda makes me feel bad, like I didn't describe them well enough. I thought we already established that Summer kinda looks like Michelle Trachtenberg, Zack's like Rooney (that guy from the first Princess Diaries movie), Freddy's like Chad Michael Murray in Gilmore Girls…or he could look like that dude from The Notebook 'cause I think he's cute too and he has the right build for my Freddy, and Katie is Alexis Biedel. Summer's dress, no there isn't a picture of it. It's a simple sheath dress with spaghetti straps and a zipper down the back so I didn't see the need to get a picture of it up. Thanks for reviewing as always!  
**Samurai Angel:** ahh, stop it. blush My story isn't all that, really. Feel free to kick Zack's ass. Freddy already kind of did, but if you think it isn't enough, go ahead and kick away. Teehee. And oh, that last comment was really flattering. Thank you so, so much for the support.  
**deviocity:** The explosions of emotions was bound to happen, with all the secrecy and stuff that everyone has been doing. It's a relief that I got that chapter out of the way, 'cause that was pretty much the climax and that's always quite painful as it is exciting to write. I share your sentiments though. For a player, Freddy sure is slow on taking action. Don't pull your hair out just yet; there's a lot in store for you this chappie. Winks. Thanks for reviewing!  
**writingrox12:** I'm so glad all the thoughts and emotions are loud and clear; that's really what makes a story written in the first-person work. I wasn't sure I could pull it off, but I'm glad you think I did. Thanks for all the love…and all the thumbs. Enjoy the chapter!**spell.binding:** This is the first time I've seen your penname in my review list, welcome aboard the Reviewer Shoutout section! The first part of your review actually made me laugh. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!  
**mystic fire demon:** Have I mentioned how much I love your penname? No? Well I do. The terms _mystic_ and _demon_ are kind of antagonizing each other, I love it. Anyways, read on up to see what happens!  
**Annise:** I love you, you know? Your reviews always make me smile, I swear. They're always short, concise, but your comments always hit the spot for me. To this day, I couldn't help snorting in laughter when I remember the dancing bananamencomment you made. Just for you, I'll try to put that in somewhere in this story, or in the oneshots I'm planning on writing. Thanks so much for reviewing!  
**wateva101:** I am terribly sorry for any pain and agony I have wrought upon my beloved readers, I really am. But I'm glad I kept you in suspense. Hope you like this chapter too!  
**Nanners-77:** Time _does_ fly, doesn't it? I was only beginning to write this chapter what, like a year ago? And now its almost over. I could forgive your laziness in commenting, if you update _Roma._ Have you even touched it lately? Dude, that story must be growing mold by now, its been so painfully long since your last update and I'm _dying_ for a good read. The fandom is dying, Nanners, we need you! …Okay so that sounded like a line from some cheap fantasy movie. But whatever. Go! Update! (Oh yeah! The new _Pirates _movie is coming up! I can't effin' wait!)  
**LivingStoneLily:** So I guess the freaky announcer guy would be going _Coming up, on What You Least Expect _now, right? Teehee. That you think my story is almost good enough for television is a major compliment. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.  
**EpisodeSkywalker:** Yes you do rule. You're one of the first persons to guess what could happen. That means you've been paying close attention, very good. You get a virtual brownie. Hee. Now see if you can guess what happens next. ;p Of course I kept my promise, you guys deserve it. Everyone's been so awesome. Hope you like this chapter as well.  
**Lalika Kimpapkona:** It always makes me blush when readers say that the story could be good enough for TV or for cinema, I've no idea why. Anyhoo. Thanks so much for reviewing, hope you enjoy the next chapter as well.  
**Twiixx.:** Yeah, I was kind of confused by that when I first read it. 's all good now.  
**I am not a chipmunk:** Drunk people are just so funny to watch, no? That's why I always choose not to drink myself into a coma when I'm out with friends; I want to be able to see what stupid things they would do and say and then I'll recount everything to them the following morning just to make fun of them. I always make Freddy seem sweet, don't I? Hmm…Well, I guess its time to remedy that, then. Hee.  
**CorruptedInk:** You know what, it was only when I re-read the chapter after posting it did I realize that Drake is the name of Miranda Cosgrove's elder brother in Drake and Josh. I really didn't mean to do that, but it's funny all the same. Anyway, yeah. It _is _about time for those two to get it on. Poor celibate Freddy, not having done it for so long when he was used to doing it every day. You should hurry up with _your_ next chapter too you know. I'm almost done with this fic, and I expect you will update _Rock With Me, Roll With Me_ regularly, or there will be _hell_ to pay. Right, I'm totally kidding. But seriously, update.  
**Calliope Brennan:** another calli? You aren't the same calli as the first one, are you? Well anyway, thanks for reviewing, even if its only to remind me to update. Hope you enjoy this chap!  
**mRs.tRoyboLton89:** Well, I can't exactly promise to keep updates coming, as the story's about to end, but I _will _keep updating until I get the last chapter up. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Sianne Kirsty:** Oh believe me, no taking advantage of any sort happened that night. It was all done with consent. Well anyway, thanks for the review Mrs:Massacre. ;p Hope you like this chapter too.  
**joua197:** Please don't pray for June to come so soon, it marks the start of my last year as a student, ever and as much as I'd love to finish school, it also means I getting older. I have the Peter Pan syndrome, I think. I love being a teenager, do we really have to grow older? Bleeeeh. Haha. Anyway, thanks for the review. Read on up to see what happens.  
**Felons Dictation:** A hot and heavy smut scene would fit right in at that last part, wouldn't it? Alas, I couldn't risk getting my story taken of the site for that, it would be hell if I had to re-edit everything. (I've the drafts of all the chapters, but all the major editing is done on ffnet). And I couldn't write a smut scene to save my life anyway. I dunno why, it just makes me uncomfortable. Heeey…If I request you to write that hot smut scene for me, would you do it? But if you can't do the smut scene, I'll be perfectly happy with an _update _for _In Time. _Teehee.  
**ilovestrawberries:** I guess that's the last we'll see of Olivia, her job is done. Thanks for reviewing!  
**NathanScott23:** I think we all live for cheese, secretly or otherwise. As for Freddy and Zack thinking of Summer's welfare before their stupid fight…well, they were friends long before their romancing days; they had to look out for each other. The Ramones are freakin' awesome. When I need something to cheer me up, Ramones tunes are the way to go. They're always so uppity and happy (all I've heard so far anyway). Although I must confess I've been recently addicted to My Chemical Romance. Feh. I don't care if people think they're emo or posers or whatever. I adore MCR. And not that it matters but…OTH season 4 has just started airing back here and it has made me one happy bunny. Hee.

And to **Em23, Calli, ERclaireER, Cortney, lilly-rain**, **SARAH**, **SMilEoUTLoUD**, thanks so much for reading and taking the time to drop me a review!

* * *

_Disclaimer_: School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_**Note: **_Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV or song lyrics.

_**Warning:**_ I'd forgotten to put one of these in the past chapter but here it is anyway…Children in the room, be forewarned! Sexual implications and innuendos are afoot!

On with the story!

**Chapter 19: Confrontations**

**_Summer _**

In my professional opinion, all Saturdays should be like this – without a care in the world…or even a sense of time whatsoever. Saturdays should be spent indoors, preferably in bed, just floating in joyful bliss even if you have absolutely no idea why you feel that way.

And the funny thing is, I do not care that for the first time ever, I don't know where I am or how I got here, or why I feel this way or why my body is aching in places that I never knew existed, and that my head was throbbing slightly. It's funny 'cause I've always been anal about knowing everything, but right now I was just too busy feeling self satisfied to care. So I just lay there for an indiscernible length of time, burying deeper into the mattress, just soaking up that sated feeling without even bothering to open my eyes.

It's a lovely, lovely feeling, not caring.

It's also a lovely feeling, seeing that it was Freddy Jones who was sleeping peacefully, beautifully beside me first thing in a morning that was just as beautiful.

It was his broad chest that my arm was draped over, it was his lithe body that I was curled up against, it was his arm that nestled my head and his hand that was resting on my hip, and it was the mixed scent of his cologne and sweat that was emanating from my own bare skin. Right now, I was surrounded by everything that is Freddy. The plush bed we're lying on, the woolen blanket that was half-covering our bodies, the goose-down pillows…those _Iron Maiden,_ _The Darkness, Ramones _and_ Black Flag _posters that covered every inch of the walls, the vast drum set in the corner…they are all his. This room had been his world, and it probably still is, and it made my smile grow fonder just knowing that at this very moment, I was part of it…and part of him.

Silently, carefully, I raised myself up from the bed, propping myself up on one elbow. I watched him in his slumber, soft snores issuing from him, and thought once again how angelic he seemed in his sleep. I began to smile, flashes of the events that happened between us of the night before (or at least, it was still night when we started) flooding my mind. I bit my lip, the provocative thoughts making my temperature rise and my toes curl. His hair was mussed; I remembered running my hands through them, feeling the rough texture slide against my fingers as he kissed his way down my chest and abdomen and…

_'Oh dear_,' I thought, feeling a blush start growing on my ears and spread out throughout my entire body. '_It's too early to think about things like that.'_

An embarrassed chuckle threatened to escape when I discovered a hickey on Freddy's chest. I remembered leaving it there just before we went at it for the second time. I slowly reached a hand forward to touch it, looking for an excuse to run my fingers on his skin again... but then my memory decided to catch up with me.

Something was holding me back…something that I couldn't quite place earlier but it was now nagging in the back of my mind, eating at my insides so annoyingly that it almost literally gave me an ulcer.

Yes…I remember…

I was too drunk to be able to control myself last night. I know that. But I was not drunk enough to _not_ remember what happened between Freddy and I…and what happened at Dewey's before that.

I pulled my hand back and sat up on the bed, my head suddenly spinning with thoughts and doubts. The feeling of bliss suddenly dissipated into thin air, my stomach feeling as though it was flipped upside down as I cast my memory further back. The photos…Olivia…Zack…Katie…

Cue mental slapping on the forehead, because I remember everything now. Every single detail of what happened, beginning with Dewey's party and how everything spiraled into disaster after that.

And yet another thought invaded my mind, deciding to bring torture-Summer thing to a whole new level.

_'What have I done?' _I thought, horrified at myself, suddenly finding my nakedness shameful, like I was found naked in front of the entire school rather than just rolling in the hay with Freddy.

I wasn't particularly fond of Zack at the moment, but technically speaking, he's still my boyfriend. Sleeping with Freddy when we haven't officially broken up counted as cheating. Oh God...I cheated on him -- _again_! This is fast becoming one of those scandals that the media feeds on, had it included Hollywood celebrities.

I cheated on him. Add that up to the other lies that now comprised our so-called relationship. Anyone with half a brain could tell me that it would be best for us to break up.

_'But wait...'_ I thought as I sat up fully on the bed, tucking the navy blanket of wool around my body, but careful not to move too much to wake the sleeping drummer next to me. Tangled locks of my hair spilled down my shoulders -- the tangible symbolism of just how messed up my mind was right now.

What if this was just a phase, a hurdle that all couples go through? What if this is all just a test on how strong we are as a couple, and how willing we are to forgive the other? I mean…Zack and I…God, we've been together for so long now and we've both been through so much for each other. Could we still fix what we've both broken? Should we start over and try again?

Do we even want to?

And what of Freddy? I wanted him last night, that much I'm sure of. I had been too drunk to stay in control, but I still knew what I was doing, and I knew what I wanted. I wouldn't have jumped him as…_enthusiastically_ as I have if I didn't. I remembered kissing him, wanting him so much that it physically hurt. I remembered him pulling back, hesitating, refusing to take advantage of my drunken state and broken heart. But when I wanted something, I do not stop until I get it. And so I got it.

But _why_ I wanted Freddy, and just how long I've wanted him, I wasn't so sure of.

Maybe the reason I slept with Freddy in the first place was to get back at Zack for cheating on me. Maybe I was just on an early rebound, and Freddy just happened to be the nearest living, breathing and willing male at the time. I had known since time immemorial that Freddy couldn't resist a lay, hadn't I? Maybe I just used that knowledge to my advantage.

_But was I just on the rebound?_ I wondered, finding myself looking at Freddy's sleeping form once more. And as much as I abhor clichés, I swear to God my heart just did this little flutter at the sight of him.

It sure didn't _feel_ like he's my rebound. I care about Freddy, I really do. If anyone from School of Rock heard that, I'm sure he or she'd get a stroke. Save for Billy, none of them know how close Freddy and I had gotten over the past few months. Well. They can all drop dead for all I care, because it's the truth. I care about Wilfred Jones a whole lot more than I realized.

'_But I'm not in love with him, am I?_ _It makes no sense at all.'_ Ahh there she is, the rational, logical thinker side of me, back with a vengeance after deserting me last night when I needed her. '_I couldn't have fallen in love with him in such a short span of time after a lifetime of completely hating each other. I just couldn't have.' _

Could I?

There was a clock somewhere in the room; presumably the old wall clock I'd given him for Christmas a few years ago to make sure he got to practices early. I could hear its faint ticking, and it was in perfect sync with the pulsating headache I was starting to get from thinking so much.

'_Oh god, this is a nightmare…'_ I slowly hugged my knees to my chest and rested my head on them, wishing for the goddamned headache to go away. It was all just happening so fast; I couldn't keep track of anything anymore. I couldn't remember when things started to go so wrong. Why hadn't I seen this coming? Hadn't I prided myself over my ability to arrange events and predict their outcomes?

I needed time to think, to sort out my emotions, to make sense of everything. I didn't function too well when I didn't understand something; its like I'm a robot with a missing program chip, or a calculator faced with an arithmetic impossibility. I needed to think, or else I will say or do things I'd regret. I really couldn't face him until I've figured everything out. I was too confused at the moment to be able to talk to him – or anyone else for that matter -- about…all this.

'_Yes. That's what I need right now,' _I decided finally. '_Time.' _

I crawled off the bed very, very carefully, and gathered my clothes off the floor and quickly slipped into them. I had to get out of here before Freddy wakes up. I made my way across the bedroom, walking as quietly as I could. I even tried to ignore the four used condoms that were on the floor even though I couldn't help feeling relieved that we still had enough common sense to use protection.

I was already at the door when a voice spoke up, making me freeze in place.

"Summer? Where do you think you're going?"

* * *

_**Freddy**_

It was her carpet-muffled and stealthy footsteps that woke me up. I'd known she was awake for a while now; I felt her sit up on the bed, probably just thinking. She does that a lot, you see. Hell, she does that thinking thing _way_ too much. I let her be, giving her the space she needed 'cause I knew she was still trying to figure out what happened.

But then I heard her sneaking quietly away…without even waking me up or saying goodbye. I knew right away that she was trying to make a run for it. I had to stop her; she's not getting away that easily.

"Summer, where do you think you're going?" I said just as she was about to open my door. Summer froze in her spot, her hand on the locked brass doorknob, ready to leave if not for my interference. Like I predicted, she didn't, or wouldn't, turn around to acknowledge me.

Maybe she wouldn't face me 'cause I was naked? (That's pretty stupid though, since we're both very much knowledgeable about each other's naked selves.) Still, I took the time to pull on the white drawstring pants I'd discarded on the floor last night and left the bed.

"Where are you going?" I repeated.

I guess the pants worked because she paused and looked over her shoulder just enough to say "Home." And then she proceeded to twist the doorknob once more.

"Wait." I tied the drawstrings in place and approached her as quickly as I could. Why did she want to take off so quickly? She can't just leave it like this. "I think we need to talk."

She shrank back against the door, slowly turning around. Her hand never left the doorknob, as though afraid it would disappear if she let go.

"Uhh…my parents are probably worried about me so--"

"Billy already took care of that," I cut her off. No. Neither of us is leaving this room until we get out of this limbo we're in. Not until we've made everything clear and untangled ourselves from this mess. "Come on Summer. We really need to talk about what happened last night."

"There's nothing to talk about," she replied, keeping her eyes trained on the floor. "Nothing happened."

My eyebrows rose in disbelief. She did _not _just say nothing happened when both she and I have the bite marks and aching bodies to prove it.

"This," I began, pointing at a hickey just bellow my collarbone. "Doesn't look like nothing to me."

She flushed, probably remembering how she had so -- shall we say feverishly? -- given me that little mark. But apparently, she wasn't embarrassed enough to respond rather contemptuously.

"I was drunk. We made a mistake," she said in a tone that clearly stated she wanted out of the conversation and wanted to dismiss the issue.

I was slightly stung by how coldly she's treating me. She hasn't spoken to me like that since…God I can't even _remember_ her speaking to me like that. Even when we were basically scratching each others' eye out, she never spoke to me as icily as she is right now. But I refused to let it go that easily.

"That's _four_ different mistakes in one night, Miss Hathaway," I told her, crossing my arms over my chest. Yep. We went at it four times last night. Who knew alcohol could increase the libido that much? (And that someone so tiny could be so bendy for that matter, but that's beside the point.)

"Your worst performance ever. Or…should I say best?" I added, a ghost of a smirk playing on my lips. Her flush deepened further, and it amused me somewhat that I can still annoy her so easily.

Summer didn't seem to find it very amusing though. "Would you stop kidding around for once in your life?" she snapped.

"I would if you stop evading the issue!" I shot right back. I did not have a very sturdy patience and right now, Summer's attitude is cracking me bit by bit. "I'm not just talking about last night, Summer. This…" I paused, unsure of what to say next. This _what? _Relationship? She's not my girlfriend. We're not even sure if we're still _friends_ at this point.

I continued lamely, unable to find the appropriate word. "This _thing _has been going on for fuck knows how long, and it's about time we talked about it."

Summer dropped her gaze again. Not like she even looked me in the eye all morning.

"You know me Summer," I went on. "If last night was just a mistake, just another one night stand, I wouldn't hound you like this. But this is different, and you know it."

"I really have to go," she murmured, still refusing to answer me and edged a hand to the door once again.

Deftly, I managed to take her hand, the one on the doorknob, and in a whirl of dark hair and red satin, our positions were switched. Now it was I who was standing in front of the door, blocking her only way out.

"No," I repeated stubbornly. Unless she wants to jump out of my balcony, she's not going anywhere.

"What do you want from me Freddy?" she asked, almost pleadingly. Snatching her hand away, she took several steps back, moving toward the center of the room.

"The truth," I told her, stepping closer to her, close enough to hear her breathing, close enough to feel her without really touching her. "And the reason why you're so afraid of it."

I was also near enough to clearly see her jaw clench at my last statement.

"I'm not afraid of anything," she whispered. But by the way she was hugging herself nervously and the way her eyes wouldn't stop flitting around the room to find an escape route, she wasn't convincing anyone, least of all me.

"Yes you are," I barked, trying to challenge her into looking at me. "I know we had a rough past, and we didn't get along very well, but things are different now. You know that right? And for the past few months I don't think I've ever done anything to hurt you, but you still keep running away from me like you're afraid of me."

Her voice broke as she shook her head no. "No, that's not it…"

"Then why, goddamnit, why?" I threw my hands in the air, trying to keep myself from totally losing my cool. I'm getting really pissed here. "Why is it that whenever I get close to you, you always _push me away_?"

"Because I don't know how I feel about you anymore, that's why!" she burst out, finally meeting my gaze angrily. "Because I have a boyfriend and making out with you and sex with you and starting to feel something else for you is wrong, it's just plain _wrong_! God, why did you have to follow me in Culvert and ask me to pose as your girlfriend? Everything used to be so _simple_ when we loathed each other, but you just had to go around with this stupid pseudo-girlfriend idea and mess with my head didn't you?"

"I'm not messing with your head, goddamnit! For chrissakes, I'm not even creative enough to write a fucking poem for third grade English, what makes you think that I planned all this shit just to mess with your head?!" I began to raise my voice as well, finding her anger contagious. "I never wanted this to happen, I never even thought this was possible! Jesus Summer, we hated each other, how in the hell was I supposed to know that we'd end up like this? How was I supposed to know that of all goddamned people, you're the one I'd end up wanting to be with? Do you think I _like_ feeling this way about you? Do you think I like driving myself nuts over thinking about you and wanting you even though I know its fucking impossible?"

"Listen to what you're saying, Freddy!" she pleaded, almost screaming over my rant. I was getting hysterical but she dared to reach up and cupped my face into her hands so we were looking directly at each other. "You can't want me, you just _can't_! You said so yourself, its impossible and just doesn't make any sense!"

She's finally looking at me and that was enough to calm me down. I was still breathing hard from my tirade so I reached up and pried her hands off and took them into my own, taking my time and allowing myself to breathe properly. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away. Yet.

"I know it doesn't make any sense, I don't understand it any more than you do," I continued, my voice going back down to its normal level. "But I do know that I wouldn't deliberately fuck up my friendship with Zack if I didn't feel anything for you. And I know you wouldn't have slept with me if you didn't feel anything for me either."

"Freddy…" she sighed, her gaze leaving mine. She began to turn away, but I tightened my hold on her hand to keep her in place.

"If you can honestly say that you're still in love with Zack and you feel nothing for me, I'll leave you alone." You can call it an ultimatum of sorts. I was afraid of what she'd say…and was kinda relieved that she remained silent, unable to respond to that ultimatum.

"We have something going on, Summer," I said, my voice as firm as my grip on her hand. I didn't care if I was starting to sound redundant. If I have to say this a million times over just to make her understand, I will. "I'm not sure what it is, but it's real and it's right in our faces. It's been there for months. I tried to ignore it, believe me, but I can't anymore. I just can't understand how _you_ could keep ignoring it like this."

"This _thing _you're talking about is just us getting too caught up in the pretense of being a couple, that's it!" she snapped, snatching her hand away once more, stepping back as though trying to put distance between us.

She wasn't making this any easier for either of us.

"Shit Summer, for someone who always wants sense in everything, you sure are being stupid," I said in an almost taunting manner.

Her eyes narrowed at me, the very reaction I was expecting to get from her. "Don't you dare call me stupid, Freddy Jones."

"Well stop acting like you are!" I yelled in frustration. "Is it _that_ hard for you to admit that I'm right for once? I'm so sick of you trying to make up excuses for everything!"

She glared at me, her eyes burning fire. "And I'm so sick of you trying to psychoanalyze me and messing up everything I had planned out!"

Okay. She got me stumped there.

''What are you _talking _about?''

''Don't you see?" she said, raking her fingers through her hair, making it more of a mess than it already is. "We weren't_ supposed _to be in the same college! You weren't _supposed_ to be all charming and amazing and the kind of guy I wanted! My relationship with Zack wasn't supposed to go on the rocks like this!"

"How in the hell is that _my_ fault?"

"I was supposed to pay better attention to my real _boyfriend! _If you hadn't gone distracting me the way you did, I would've treated Zack better and none of this would've happened!"

She yelled this last bit at me, the statement whipping me across the face as hysterical tears sprang into her frustrated eyes. My jaw clenched, feeling as though the wind was knocked out of me. That was a low blow, and I was astounded at how much hurt I could feel without being physically touched.

"So that's it then." I spoke slowly as it all sank in. I was surprised at how steady my voice remained even though I was this close to shaking. "That's all I ever was to you, huh? A distraction?"

Summer seemed to realize what her words implied and her eyes widened. "Freddy, no wait, that's not what I--" she began, trying to take it all back, to change her words to make it hurt less. But I wouldn't let her.

"And last night, you just needed something to get your mind off how huge an asshole your boyfriend is to you, and I just happened to be there."

"No I--"

"You're one hell of an actress Summer," I gave a laugh that was completely devoid of mirth. "Because you got me fooled into believing that you actually felt something for stupid ol' Freddy Jones.''

"No, that's not--!"

"But then again, you've always been so hell bent on proving that I'm an idiot, weren't you?'' I rounded on her, not really knowing what I was saying anymore. I was advancing on her, forcing down the manic feeling that wanted me to shove her straight out the door, chivalry and class be damned. "Congratulations, Tink, you finally did it."

"Freddy, please!"

Walking briskly past her, I reached for the door and flung it open, motioning for her to exit. "You can go now. Your bastard of a boyfriend is probably getting worried. But it's not like he needs to worry anyway, 'cause I promise never to _distract_ you again."

She looked at me, helpless and shattered and looking extremely hurt and as though she's about to cry. The exact mirror image of how I felt at the moment. I opted to stare at her shoulder instead, unable to look at her anymore, afraid that if I did I would just break apart all over again. My heart was threatening to burst out of my ribcage and it hurt to breathe and my eyes are burning so badly that I could barely see but I can't afford to break down. Not in front of her, not after what she said.

"Prudence is downstairs somewhere. She'll show you out," I said in a frighteningly calm voice.

Summer's mouth opened, trying to say something, but words failed her. Disappointed and defeated, her shoulders slumped and she conceded to leave. She was still trembling slightly as she stepped into the hallway, shoes clutched in her hand.

"Goodbye Hathaway," I said finally and closed the door in her face. I leaned against the heavy woodwork, standing there for at least a full minute, just listening. Except for an occasional gasp of breath, she was silent on the other side. It was a while before I heard dismayed footsteps walking away, growing fainter with each second. I slid down to the carpet, letting my head fall back against the door, and squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to make the burning feeling go away.

By closing my eyes I managed to shut out the rest of the world. But I could sew my eyes shut for all its worth, and still I wouldn't be able to erase the heartbroken expression on her face that's been burned into my memory…Neither would I be able to forget the pain she left behind for me as a miserable souvenir.

* * *

_**Summer**_

I've always been one to abhor prolonged periods of idleness. If I were to sit for five minutes without anything productive to do, I would probably get a seizure or something. Unlike some people, I just couldn't afford to spend any of my time just sitting on my butt like some miserable, limp vegetable for hours on end.

And yet ever since that unfortunate morning in the Jones' residence, all I seemed to be able to do is do my best limp vegetable impression. It came in various versions, you know_. Limp Vegetable in the Bedroom. Limp Vegetable on the Sofa, In the Kitchen_…you name it.

At the moment, _Limp Veg on the Sofa _is on, and the television is the inopportune audience.

There was a random sitcom playing on TV (Korean if I'm not mistaken) but I was too busy pondering how many years one could last without food to concentrate. Nope, I wasn't hungry. I haven't been for the last four days. I was just a teeny bit fascinated with the length of this anorexic phase. I wasn't particularly interested in watching the TV. Besides, the terrible scenes from _that _morning were enough drama to keep me preoccupied.

_When Freddy kicked Summer out of the room, Summer didn't leave at once. She walked down the hallway, dragging her feet so slowly, hoping that any second, Freddy would change his mind. Summer even sat down on the top step of the grand, carpeted mahogany staircase that led to the Joneses foyer, waiting under the ruse of strapping on her shoes. _

_She didn't know how long it took her to finally accept that Freddy was not going to open his door for her. He was not going to come after her. She realized this when she heard the angry, chaotic and almost violent drumbeats that came from inside the drummer's room. With a sigh, she brushed the tears from her eyes and trudged down the stairs, exhausted and forlorn._

"_What am I supposed to do now?" she muttered, not even caring that she was alone in that foyer. She'd have to call a cab, but she didn't know where the Joneses' phones are. She didn't have her purse with her either, and her phone was in that purse. Summer shuddered; by the looks of things, she was going to have to walk the whole twenty blocks to her home. _

_Luckily for Summer, Prudence the housekeeper decided to come down to make breakfast for young Mister Jones at the second Summer decided to start her trek. _

"_Good morning miss," the kindly forty-three year old English woman greeted Summer while donning her apron. "Were you looking for something?"_

"_Umm…yeah. Where are your phones?" Summer asked, relieved for the rescue. "And a bathroom too, if it's not too much trouble," she added as an afterthought. She didn't like the idea of going home looking (and probably smelling) all-sexed out very much._

_Prudence nodded and motioned for the younger and seemingly distraught girl to follow her. "Right this way."_

_Prudence led Summer down another corridor, narrower than the one on the second floor and past the dining room until they pushed through the white swinging doors to the kitchen._

"_There's a phone by the counter and last door in the corner is a bathroom." Prudence gave these instructions as she made a beeline for the cupboards that most likely kept the kitchenware. "I'll be out here if you need anything."_

"_Thanks very much, Prudence," Summer said, grateful in every way. _

"_You're the girl Mister Jones carried home last night, I presume. Are you feeling better?"_

'That really depends on your definition of better_,' Summer thought. But she brushed it away and just nodded yes, she's fine, instead._

"_You don't seem surprised at all," Summer commented in an attempt to make conversation. "You must be used to Freddy bringing random girls home." _

_Prudence looked up from the cutting board, a puzzled look on her mildly wizened features. "Girls?" she asked. "I'm not sure I understand, miss. Mister Jones has never brought anyone here, save for his friends. I think I've seen you before, you're one of them I believe."_

_Summer swallowed hard to clear the lump in her throat that suddenly formed there again. Hot tears sprang into her eyes threatening to spill down her cheeks. _

"_I guess I used to be," she whispered. Prudence wasn't really listening anymore as she fussed over the pots and pans, and she was just torturing herself by saying it out loud, but Summer did it anyway. "Now I'm not so sure."_

After the quick shower there, I called a cab company and rode home. The ride seemed so much longer than it really was, with all the thinking and moping I did in that cab. When the cab dropped me off, both my parents have already left for work, thank god, and they didn't see me looking all rumpled and desolate. Alvin was sleeping in and Drake was out yet again. Leila had seen me, and the instant she asked what was wrong, I just broke down in bitter tears. Leila hugged me and let me cry all over her favorite cardigan even though she had no idea what I was crying about. It was our most intimate and sisterly interaction yet.

Since then I haven't gone as far as our front porch. My daily haunts were my bedroom, the bathroom and occasionally, the living room. Obviously, band practices are out of the question. I couldn't face the band, especially not Katie, Zack and Freddy. Besides, I don't think I'll be able to perform my managerial duties very well given the current circumstances. So, at my request, Billy has been taking over my band manager duties for me.

My musings were interrupted, rather unceremoniously, by a voice at the door.

"I see you've been making good use of your time."

I didn't even have to move to know who just walked in our living room. The impeccably dressed gender-bender that I had previously been thinking about didn't wait for an invitation and just shoved my legs off the couch so he could sit down.

"Hi Billy," I greeted in the same lackluster way I've been greeting everyone, if I talked at all.

He gave me a once over, staring at my outfit of choice (my rattiest tank top with a pair of pajama bottoms) with a fashion-critic's eyes, and said "You, my dear, look extraordinarily _abysmal._"

I grunted in response, not bothering to disagree. He was right anyway. I haven't seen a mirror in days, but I knew I looked terrible. I hardly even get out of bed, let alone take my daily twenty-minute showers. Combing my hair is now a foreign concept, just like eating and sleeping.

"Summer," Billy reached out and touched me on my arm. His eyes shined with concern when I consented to look at him. "How are you holding up?"

I sat up, sighed and pulled the hair into a messy ponytail with the scrunchie I had around my wrist.

"Horribly."

Billy's gaze swept the room, going from the Korean soap opera on TV to the untouched pack of Reese's and then looked back at me. "I can see that."

"I screwed up, Billy. I royally screwed up," I groaned, hugging my knees to my chest, burying my face against my folded legs.

"Oh honey," Billy crooned, gathering me into a hug. I began to relax, letting my head fall on Billy's chest, and he dropped a friendly kiss atop my head. "It's not your fault that Zack's an ass, don't blame this on yourself."

Billy couldn't see the befuddled expression on my face, but my brow wrinkled into a frown, puzzled for a brief moment. But then it all became clear to me.

Of course. Billy thought I was all depressed because of my fight with Zack. My parents thought the same thing, and so did Leila, Drake and Alvin. How could they not? Zack's been calling practically 24/7, and I always told my family to make up excuses for me so I wouldn't have to talk to him. They just assumed that Zack and I were having a lovers' spat and let me be. Well…my dad left me alone. My mom and Leila, on the other hand, are trying to smother me with all their "oh, sweetheart, it's going to be fine. He's just a boy after all" speeches.

They all thought wrong though, because the reason for my misery is not my asshole of a boyfriend. I haven't even thought about Zack once in my four days of mourning. Nope. The reason is none other than Wilfred Jones. All I could think about was him and the terrible fight we had, and it was making me feel worse every day.

You should've seen how fast I shut the television off when One Tree Hill came on. I know. I am _addicted_ to that show, why would I do that? The answer is simple, and really kind of stupid: it's 'cause Chad Michael Murray's hair is blond and almost the same as Freddy's. Drake had given me a huge pack or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to cheer me up a little, but I couldn't eat them because they reminded me of the time I got sick and Freddy took care of me (hence the undisturbed pack on the coffee table). Even the radio, which had always been a surefire way to brighten my mood couldn't do me any good because the Rock Gods had a sadistic side and they kept playing Rush, The Who, Greenday and Slipknot songs – Freddy's ultimate favorites.

"Sum?" Billy said, sensing my hesitance on the matter and pulled back a bit so he could see me better. "What is it?"

Well…he's bound to find out sooner or later. Might as well tell him now, what have I got to lose? I took a deep breath, getting ready to relay the story. The whole story.

"Umm Billy? There's something that I haven't told you…"

* * *

"So let me get this straight…" Billy said finally when I finished telling him about what happened after Freddy found me. "You…_slept_ with Freddy."

Normally, I probably would've blushed, but I think I lacked the energy to do even that.

"Yes," I affirmed.

"Then, instead of the usual formula of cuddling up in bed and making out before getting breakfast – "I held back a snort, finding Billy's idealism a tad bit amusing. The boy has seen one too many chick flicks with Gordon, I think. "-- you went at each others' throats again, and in an entirely non-sexual way."

"Right."

Billy stared at me for a very long moment, eyes wide in disbelief and seemingly speechless.

"Good heavens…" he shook his head when he found his voice again. "What on earth did you two fight about that's gotten him all sketchy?"

"Sketchy?"

"Mood swingin' worse than a menopausal, hormonal, bipolar patient," Billy affirmed. "He's even worse than Katie, and _she's _pregnant."

I shot Billy a look and he muttered a sheepish "Sorry."

After assuring him that I didn't mind his little slip, I proceeded to summarize the entire argument Freddy and I had (dropping all the cuss words and innuendos of course, but I think Billy got the point). I grabbed the remote control of the coffee table and began flipping through channels so I wouldn't have to meet Billy's gaze while I spoke.

"I can't understand why he's so convinced that we have a _thing._" Freddy and I fighting are over something that we couldn't even name…God, how stupid is that? "It's preposterous, really."

I waited for Billy to agree, but he remained silent. He hesitated when I gave him a questioning look, clearly not sharing my sentiments.

"What, you don't think he's making it up?" I asked him, genuinely surprised.

"Honestly? No," he shrugged, sounding rather nonchalant as though he and Freddy always agreed about everything. Upon seeing the skeptical look on my face, he went on to explain. "You haven't been going to band practices so you wouldn't know, but he's completely miserable."

Glad to know I'm not the only one smothered in a cloud of despair.

"I've never seen him so unhappy," Billy continued, speaking more to himself than to me, like he's just realized something. "I thought it's just because of his quarrel with Zack, but now I understand. No wonder he's acting like the poster boy of doom and gloom. I think, for the first time ever, he's had his heart broken."

_Heartbroken?_ I swallowed hard, nearly dropping the remote control as Billy's words sank in. "So you think he really _does_ feel something for me?"

"Oh believe me honey. It's a certainty," he assured me. "He seems like he hasn't fully realized it yet, but that boy is crazy in love with you."

It was a simple statement but it was enough to make me see a small ray of hope amongst all the heartache. I didn't even notice that I stopped flipping from one channel to another. Could Billy be right? Could Freddy really be in love with me?

"And I rather think--" he took advantage of my sudden silence and snatched the remote control from me to shut the television off. The hardly intelligible garbling from the French news is probably annoying him as much as my refusal to meet his eyes. "—that you feel the same way for him."

I bit my lip, so hard that I swear I tasted blood. There was only silence now, after Billy had unwittingly and ruthlessly slapped me with the reality…with the truth. It was a truth that has been there for months, a truth that I've been evading for so long, the truth that Freddy desperately wanted me to see but I refused to acknowledge. I guess I knew it all along…I just hoped and pretended that I didn't.

Hearing someone else say it just made it even more of a solid fact.

"I've been hanging around you and Drummer Boy for quite some time now," Billy said, lifting my chin up with his fingers, forcing me to finally look at him. "I see something really special, something really good between you two. And it comes from both ends. Sleeping with Freddy is just the last straw, and I'm kind of surprised that it wasn't the _first_ thing that happened."

"But…" Ever the debater, I struggled to find a decent argument even though I knew it was a lost cause. "But what about Zack?"

"Honey, the boy cheated on you, and you cheated on him. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think neither of you want to be with each other anymore. As far as I'm concerned, the relationship is over." Billy said this all at once without even trying to soften the blow. But I was, surprisingly, glad for it. It felt like he sucker punched me in the gut, sure, but he was reorienting me to reality, and for that I was grateful. I really needed someone with a clear-thinking mind right now, 'cause mine has already refused to cooperate.

"But then again, that's just me, I'm new to the whole relationship thing too; I'm hardly an expert," Billy added after about a minute of thinking. "Only you can say whether or not you want to save your relationship with Zack. You _have_ been together for years now and you just might still be in love with the guy. If you think you should give it a shot, then go for it."

I let myself fall back on the couch, buried my face into the throw pillows and groaned. So much for solving my problems tonight. This talk with Billy, though very much enlightening, did not help with my decision-making at all. He laid out the possible choices for me, but I still have the difficult task of deciding on which path I should take, much to my indeterminate heart's dismay.

And when Billy left he took my clipboard and Palm with him to help with the band manager duties. However, he left one question for me to answer, a pop quiz if you will. It was just one question, one that sounds perfectly simple…even a no-brainer to some. But for me, it'll probably take another week to figure out what my answer would be and to make sure it is the right one.

"_What do you want to do now, Summer?" _

* * *

_**Freddy**_

Lawrence played the final bars of the song we were rehearsing on his keyboard, in perfect sync with Katie's bass and Fuck-face's plucking. My job had been over for several seconds now, since the outtro of the song didn't really require drums, although I couldn't resist inserting a little solo before I stopped playing completely. I was glad for the few seconds of rest; I haven't been getting much of it lately.

All too soon, Billy was clapping his hands to signal the end of practice, like he's been doing for the past few days.

"All right guys, that was a good practice," Billy told all of us. A few band members murmured thanks.

I wiped the sweat of my forehead with the back of my hand, the one which held both my drumsticks. Yeah, it was a good practice…as far as playing goes. There's no doubt about our talent; we've always been and we'll always be one of the best bands in Manhattan.

Our relationship as a band, however, was a different and completely opposite story.

Since the night of Dewey's party, none of the band members could look at each other the same way again. It's like we're all walking on thin ice, given how cautious everyone is being. The tension in this small apartment was so thick that you could slice it with a knife. No, screw the knife, a credit card would do. Every word said within the borders of band practice was limited and even the laughter was rare and restrained.

The others found out about what transpired in Dewey's back porch. Of course they did; word always travels fast in our small, tight-knit group. This time, instead of gossiping and poking fun at the news, everyone was really careful about everything they say in fear of setting off the recently explosive tempers. Were there any questions, they were asked in hushed whispers.

Rehearsals used to be a time of catching up, the time where we told the others stories about the classes we hated, or the movie we just saw, or that awesome new indie band that played in a nearby club. All that's changed overnight. People hardly talked to each other during rehearsals anymore, and that was especially true for Zack, Katie and I. Katie was mad at me for spilling the beans. Zack was mad at me for obvious reasons. He's also a bit mad at Katie for telling me, but he couldn't stay mad at her, not when they both still have a crisis to face. I'm pissed at Zack just because he's an ass. And because he had been Summer's boyfriend for the past three years, and I never stood a chance.

So with the drummer, bassist and lead guitarist in conflict, it was a wonder how we even managed to get through _one_ song in the set list. Katie could talk to both Zack and I when necessary, but we were two stubborn boys and we refused to say a word to each other.

That's why Katie always mediated for us. If I had a question for Zack (or vice versa), it'd go through her. You know, "Katie, would you tell that moron with the guitar that--", or "Please tell the snake behind the drums to--" and stuff.

That is, until Katie got fed up and yelled at both of us to grow up and threatened to bash our heads into our instruments.

"_What are you, eight years old?!?"_ she had screamed at us during one band practice. _"Whatever it is you fucking _idiots_ are going through, leave me the hell out of it! I have enough to deal with already!" _

After that, Zack and I held our tongues and just focused on our playing. Billy, who had been the one taking over for…our band manager, also took over Katie's role as mediator and made sure we got through the set list without any more glitches.

He's doing one of those band manager duties now, actually. He's already taken the mic from Zack, and is leafing through a red, plastic clipboard that was all too familiar, trying to find a specific neatly printed document that held an announcement.

"Everybody listen up," he said into the mic. He looked around the room once to make sure everyone can hear him before he continued speaking. "As most of you may know, the wedding is already on the day after tomorrow. It will be held on a yacht and--"

"Dewey has a _yacht_?" Frankie interjected from the couch, one arm still looped around Eleni's shoulders.

"No, he rented one. Actually, I think it's more of a mini-cruise ship, but…" Billy replied. "Anyway, yeah, Dewey rented that yacht out for three days. The yacht leaves at 9:30 AM, so I expect all of us to be there at 9 AM _sharp--_" he chose this moment to glare pointedly at me above the clipboard again, and I rolled my eyes. Like I'd really get left behind for Dewey's wedding. No way dude, not with all the booze that's waiting for me there. "But roadies and security, I want you to meet me back here at 8 AM to pick up the instruments."

"Isn't eight a little early, Billy?" Eleni spoke up from beside Frankie.

"Yeah, I think we all need our beauty sleep," Michelle agreed. She and Eleni had been helping out the roadies with the sound checks and technical things since we really didn't need groupies anymore.

"We still have to check the working conditions of the instruments and amps and stuff, and all that takes time," he explained. "So, 8 AM tomorrow, here. Zack and Katie, don't forget your guitar picks and bring extra strings just in case. Freddy no tequila parties for you tonight."

Oh yeah. I forgot that Billy knew I had been trying to kill my liver with all the alcohol I had been consuming lately. He caught me in the liquor store the other day with a tequila bottle in one hand and flavored vodka on the other. Thank God I'm already of legal age and I didn't need my old fake I.D. anymore, else he'd probably bust my butt.

"And if you're going to be chucking your drumsticks all over the place, make sure you have extras," Billy went on. I was about to ask him what the hell he was talking about when he went over to hand me a pair of nylon-tipped drumsticks with the _House of Blues _logo on them. I thought I lost them the other day.

See, I developed this habit of staying behind after band practices and beat the hell out of Dewey's drum set. I figured it's a little more acceptable than beating the hell out of myself. Or Zack. (Yeah, I could've beat the hell out of my drum set at home, but that set is inside my room and I'm not too fond of that place at the moment. Too many memories.) I must've lost my mind one afternoon, which eventually led to throwing these sticks away.

--

_**I've felt the hate rise up in me  
**__**Kneel down and clear the stone of leaves  
**_**_I wander out where you can't see  
__Inside my shell I wait and bleed _**

_Freddy Jones sat behind the drum set, Slipknot's lead singer growling the words of _Wait and Bleed _in his ears as it played on his iPod. In his opinion, Slipknot had one of the most talented drummers and their songs are the best if one wanted to rid oneself of one's excessive anger…or tremendous sadness. _

_**This is not the way I pictured me  
**__**I can't control my shakes  
**__**How the hell did I get here?**_

_And so Freddy made a hobby of listening to Slipknot while trying to keep up with Joey Jordison's violent drumming. He's been doing this for days…just drumming away to drain himself of the all hurt and raw emotion that's been eating him every day since he closed his door on Summer Hathaway. He knew his arm muscles would be screaming in agony again when he gets home, but he didn't care. Pain was something he was really getting used to. _

_**Something about this, so very wrong  
**__**I have to laugh out loud,  
**__**I wish I didn't like this  
**__**Is it a dream or a memory?**_

_They haven't spoken nor seen each other since that morning. Not that he was particularly looking forward to seeing her anytime soon after what she said. Oh, but a huge part of him still wanted to see her…still wanted to forget that that morning ever happened, that only what happened the night before remained in his memory. _

_He thought she felt the same way he did. How could he not? Sharing his bed with her was even more amazing than he ever thought possible. He wouldn't be able to forget it, even if he wanted to. He remembered everything in vivid detail. The contrast of her lashes to the color of her skin in the half-light, the throatiness of her voice when she moaned his name, how her smile felt against the skin of his throat, the sweet scent of strawberries in her hair…_

_But none of that mattered now. Not to her anyway. He tried to talk to her about it, tried to reason with her, to tell her his feelings but she just wouldn't listen. She said it was an accident, a drunken game they were both forced to play out of hormones and misery. He thought of her as his everything, and she saw him as nothing but a distraction. Whatever happened in the past few months didn't mean anything to her. She said so herself._

_**Get outta my head 'cause I don't need this  
**__**Why didn't I see this?**_

_He never meant for it to get this far. When he came to her doorstep to coerce her into posing as his girlfriend, he didn't think he would one day actually _want _her to be his girlfriend. He never thought he'd fall so hard for Summer Hathaway. If he'd known that this would happen, he should've just taken his chances with Olivia and left Summer alone. Dating a psycho would be better than this. _Anything_ would be better than this. _

_If he'd left Summer alone, they'd still hate each other, he'd still be Casanova Jones, still having the time of his life with any and every hot girl he meets and he could care less for Summer Hathaway. He would not have felt and hoped only to get those hopes severely dashed. _

_It's too late now, because he _did_ care for Summer, so more than he could ever care about himself. _

_And then she left, so suddenly, and he felt lost without her, like a child in an unfamiliar city. It was like he's having a withdrawal syndrome from suddenly stopping a highly addictive drug. _

_And he hated her for it. He hated her for making him feel everything he didn't want to feel in the first place. _

_**I...have...sinned...by...just  
**__**Making my mind up and taking your breath away  
**__**  
**__So he spends his time drumming to the beat of the angriest, most violent songs he could find, never caring that his eyes always burned, his sight blurred and his lips tasted of salt. Salt of sweat or salt of tears, he couldn't even tell. He didn't care anymore. He just vented out all his anger, all the feelings of frustration and hopelessness into his playing until he skinned his hands raw, __and the blood started to stain his ever loyal drumsticks._

_The song built momentum as it approached climax, and he nearly snapped his drumsticks in half with the force he exerted when he slammed them on the cymbals. But they didn't break. How could the damn drumsticks not break when he himself was so broken? _

_Livid, exhausted and heartbroken, he hurled the two identical rods across the room and placed his head into his hands. He heard it when they hit the wall opposite him before they clattered to the floor. He didn't care that he might've lost the goddamned drumsticsks; he's lost so much more than that. _

_He didn't care. He just didn't care anymore._

_He didn't feel the sting of his chafed fingers as his sweat and tears mixed with blood. He didn't feel anything at all. Just the empty void she gouged out from his heart. _

_**Inside my shell I wait and bleed. **_

--

That pair of sticks that I threw away are my absolute favorite pair…and they're the very same ones that Billy was returning to me.

"Thanks, man," I nodded at him in gratitude as I took the sticks from him.

"Don't lose 'em again," he said in a stern voice, though his eyes were a little more forgiving. He knew I was having a difficult time, and I'm grateful for the concern. I gave a slight smile just before he went back to the mic. "Okay next. Singers, no loud talking and laughing. Remember to take your vitamins; you _cannot_ get sick until Dewey's wedding. And the wedding, my friends, are on the second day of the cruise. Then we'll drop Dewey and Carrie off in a dock in Staten Island where they're going on another cruise ship for their honeymoon. Third day is for the guests to enjoy. We'll be back at the Manhattan Dock by seven in the evening."

Billy went on to read the bunk assignments out loud, but I zoned out on him. I'm pretty sure he won't be bunking Zack and me together, else he'd have no drummer and/or guitarist by the time the day of the wedding rolls around. And I'm pretty sure that he's already spoken to Summer about…well…our situation, so I don't think he'll put her anywhere near me.

Can't have me _distracting_ her again, can we? Snort.

"—so I guess that's all for now. Get a good night's rest everyone, see you tomorrow," Billy said in conclusion. There were a few cheers, some cheering the end of practice, the others cheering for the end of Billy's horrifyingly boring speech (at least I _thought_ it's boring) and the rest probably just happy to get out of this uptight environment. Who could blame them, though?

Gordon automatically went up to Billy, his twelve-inch Dell laptop safely stowed in his backpack. As soon as Billy had his clipboard stashed into his quilted mailbag, the two of them bid us goodbye and left. The others shuffled past, some giving me a hesitant smile before practically running out the door. Frankie, Leonard and Marco each slapped me a high five on their way out. Once again they invited me to come over for billiards, pizza and beer and once again I declined.

I was most surprised when Katie caught my eye.

"Don't wear yourself out too much," she said as she hoisted her bass onto her shoulder.

"You're talking to me again?" I asked her, a bit puzzled.

She shrugged. "If we're going to be stuck in a yacht for three days, I might as well." She still wouldn't smile but at least she's speaking to me. That's progress.

"That's one less person to worry about," I muttered, toying with the four drumsticks I now held.

"Maybe if you weren't such an ass, then you wouldn't have to worry about anyone at all," piped a voice that I had grown to despise in such a short span of time. Yeah, the voice belonged to Zack. He was a few feet away to my right, semi-sitting on the low shelf on the wall near the windows, putting his guitar away in its hard case.

"Hah, pot meet the fucking kettle," I shot right back.

"Oh _God_, not this again," Katie complained, effectively cutting Zack off as he was obviously about to say something nasty. "I'm out of here. See you guys tomorrow."

Shaking her head, she waved a hand over her head at us and left, muttering to herself about boys, immaturity and dickheads. I had enough sense to pocket all four drumsticks and went to follow her before I was left alone in the apartment with Zack and --

"Hold up Jones, I have a bone to pick with you."

-- _that _happens.

'_A bone to pick with you? Man, who the fuck says that?'_ I thought resentfully, my inner voice speaking in scathing tones. I had to shake away a graphic image involving me with a dinosaur bone, a murky swamp and Zack's skull from my mind, but I turned around all the same, arms folded on my chest.

"What do you want?" I asked in a bored voice.

Zack's face looked just as bored as he shoved his hands into his pockets, the guitar forgotten on the shelf behind him, but his eyes were silently boring holes into me.

"About that final song," he said. "Next time, don't go on riffs in the outtro. It ruins the momentum."

"Like hell it does," I snorted. "On the contrary, Mooneyham. I think it sounds _so _much better."

"That's not for you to decide."

"I can do whatever the hell I want, I don't need your permission," I said, smirking in a manner that so many others would describe as cocky. I'm rather proud of this smirk, it pisses a lot of people off.

"It's _my_ song, Jones. You're not playing it your way." seethed Zack. See? Smirk is working already.

We were standing a few feet away from each other, but I swear I could feel the sparks fly as he glared at me. I met his stare head-on and we glared at each other for a good long minute before I decided to speak up.

"What's this really about, Mooneyham?" I said, raising my chin at him.

It didn't look like he was going to respond at first, because he just laughed derisively, shaking his head. But then he looked back at me. "Why'd you tell her?"

Was that a trick question? "Uh, duh, because you _wouldn't_?"

"I was _going_ to," he said. "I was waiting for the right moment, but you went ahead and blew it."

"Yeah? And when would that 'right moment' be, huh?" If I spoke this sarcastically to some thug, I'd probably be dead by now. "When you're picking out the name for your second kid with, say, Marta?"

That ticked Zack off, and he pounded his fists on the shelf behind him before he straightened up to his full height. "I already _said_ that thing with Katie was an accident!"

"_Was_ it just an accident, Zack?" I asked, dropping any form of mockery. This was something I had to know.

Zack's eyes flashed at the question, and for a moment I thought he was going to lunge at me again. I leaned against a post near the door and wiped the smirk clean off my face, trying to show him that I wasn't picking a fight…that I just wanted to know the truth.

He watched me for signs of fraud. I guess he decided I was being sincere enough because he fell back down on the low shelf and released a long, dejected sigh.

"It was supposed to be a one time thing," he said, scuffing the threadbare carpeting with his shoe and put the guitar case on his lap so he could sit better on the shelf. "We never talked about it again, and I try not to think about it, tried not to read too much into it but now…fuck, I don't know. It's all so complicated now."

"It couldn't be all that complicated if you're still in love with Summer," I said. It was a while before I realized that this was the first time I said her name aloud in days. "You _are _still in love with her, aren't you?"

Zack didn't disagree. But he didn't agree either. He just kept on kicking at an invisible dust bunny on the carpet in silence. And that silence spoke volumes of what he really felt.

"Summer…Summer's great, really," Zack began, toying with the metal clasps on the black hard case. "And I love her, sure, but…I mean…God, I don't know…We've been together for so long that I'm not even sure anymore..."

I shook my head at Zack's display of self-pity, partly in disbelief and partly in bitter amusement. I lost Summer over this dumbass? God, I _am_ a loser.

"Well, figure it out quickly dude 'cause frankly, you're giving her a hard time," I told him. I can't believe we're actually having this conversation; it's surreal.

"I wanted to talk to her, to figure things out with her but she wouldn't answer my calls," Zack shrugged. He was slumped over, his arms around his guitar, hugging it as one would a security toy, and he was giving me this look that told me he was looking for advice. Boy, is he looking in the wrong place or _what?_

"Keep trying," I replied instead. It was the best I could come up with. I'm not really good at giving advice, especially not the kind that would possibly shove Summer right into his arms. "She did say you were _supposed_ to be together."

Zack threw me a puzzled stare and all I could do was chuckle as I peeled away from the post I was leaning on. I had to get out of here before Zack gets all "What should I _do_, man?" emo-shit on me.

"I gotta go, dude. Catch you later." I raised my hand at him in goodbye and turned on my heel. I've had enough drama for one day.

I was already at the door when Zack stopped me again. "Wait, one last question Freddy."

"Yeah?" I said over my shoulder.

"Are _you_ in love with Summer?"

I froze, my hand stuck in midair, halfway to the doorknob. Zack remained silent; I felt him watching me as he waited for my response.

There it was. I knew someone's bound to ask me that question soon, but I didn't think it would be asked by _Zack _of all people. I wasn't really prepared for it but hell, what kind of preparation did I need? I think I've known the answer to that question for ages.

"Freddy?"

I let my hand fall away from the doorknob and turned back around, making sure that Zack could see that wasn't lying in the least.

"Yes."

And when I saw the dumbstruck look on Zack's face, I waved a hand carelessly at him to show that he needn't worry.

"But really, it doesn't matter anyway." I swung the door open, and just before I closed it behind me, I gave him a bitter smile. "I'm not part of the plan now am I?"

* * *

_**Summer **_

"Excuse me, sir? Where can I find the cabins?" I asked one of the uniformed crew of the yacht. Or at least I think he's part of the crew. He was a middle-aged man with a rather large belly, and he was just walking past, carrying a bushel of vegetables, on his way to the kitchen when I stopped him.

"Down the stairs," he replied gruffly, jerking his head into the direction of the staircase just behind me before going on his way. With a quick thank you (that he didn't seem to hear), I followed his directions and descended the stairs to where the cabins were.

Did I mention that Dewey's wedding is already tomorrow? No? Well…now you know. We'll be on a three-day cruise, sort of, and today's the first day. Billy told me all the details when he visited me the other day.

My parents dropped me off at the dock at promptly nine in the morning. People were surprisingly punctual, because during that hour, the dock to _S.S. Ana Maria _was already bustling with waiting passengers. I guess nobody wanted to get left behind.

And judging by the number of guests I've seen so far, it is promising to be a relatively small wedding. Just close family and friends. Dewey's parents are both dead, and his only blood relative to actually witness his wedding is his aunt who raised him. Meeting her got me wondering how Dewey had come to live out the rock 'n' roll lifestyle and if he ever thought of her as _The Man_. She's such a sweet old lady, the kind who knits up Christmas sweaters and shows your photos to strangers on a bus.

Ned is here of course, along with Patty. Huh. I'm a bit surprised that Dewey was nice enough to invite her; everyone knows he hated that girl with a passion. Then again, she wasn't the only person Dewey hated who was here. His old bandmates from _No Vacancy_ were invited as well.

I recognized a few record scouts and club owners that Dewey and the band made friends with during our old days among the guests. Some of them asked me if School of Rock is considering getting back together to play a gig or cut a record. I got their numbers and dropped my famous quote: "I'll let you know as soon as I talk to the band". I've missed saying that.

Rosalie Mullins is also here with – get this – _Spider _from No Vacancy. I almost didn't recognize him without all the leather and body ink and the super low-rise pants.

Carrie's parents and her two sisters are both here. With her quarky sense of humor and love for rock 'n' roll, Carrie did seem like the odd egg of the family. Her parents seemed like they were straight out of the _Ideal Parenting_ magazine, and her sisters could pass for Stepford Wives. I wonder how on earth Dewey managed to convince Carrie's parents to let him marry their daughter.

I suppose all the other people that I didn't recognize were Carrie's friends.

And of course, School of Rock's here. Some of them were glad to see me, others were afraid, a couple wary and one acted like he didn't see me at all…

_Summer bid Lester Kraft of Kraftsman Records goodbye (after an excruciating five minutes. Boy, that man can _talk_) and proceeded to look for her friends. _

_That is…If she could still call them that. _

_She had seen Billy earlier, flanked by the security and roadie crew. She's got to admit, Billy sauntering toward the loading ramp with Michelle and Eleni on his left (carrying boxes of what Summer assumed are the dresses), and Gordon, Frankie, Leonard and Marco on his right with the band's equipment was a pretty darn impressive sight. _

_She's got to hand it to him; he did a good job with the band manager duties. He's done everything in Summer's itinerary perfectly, and that's not counting his job as the dress designer and maker. _

_But then that also meant he would be busy (he paused long enough only to say hi and give Summer her cabin assignment) for the time being and Summer would have to find some other friends to talk to. Yeah…that is a whole lot harder than it sounds._

_Katie was there, but Summer didn't want to talk to her yet. She just wasn't ready. And it seemed to Summer that Katie wasn't ready to talk to her either, given the way Katie ducked into a group of people when Summer spotted her. _

_And Summer knew for sure that Freddy was still mad at her. No, 'mad'didn't even _scratch _the surface of how upset he was with her. Usually when Freddy was pissed at her, he would goad her on, say spiteful things to her indirectly and do everything he can to piss her off as well. But this…this was much worse than that. They had run into each other several times in that dock, and he didn't even acknowledge her. _

_He acted like they weren't friends. Like he didn't even know her. Like she didn't even exist._

_Zack, though, looked like he had his mind set on talking to her. He still hadn't given up on making her phone ring until the night before, and now he was making his way through the crowd toward her, a determined and--was it hopeful? Summer couldn't be sure--look on his face. But before he could get within a foot away from her, he got intercepted by Leonard, who said they needed more help with the equipment. Summer saw him sigh, looking dismayed, and follow Leonard to the equipment van anyway. _

_It was about nine-twenty when Summer gave up looking for company and decided to just go find her cabin in the yacht. Maybe she could just sleep in until the wedding ceremony rolls around. _

_Dragging her luggage with her, she climbed up the loading ramp. _

_Her bag was extremely heavy, she noticed as she felt her shoulder ache from dragging the duffel bag around. Yeah well, Summer didn't really understand the 'pack-light' concept very well. It was better to be prepared for anything, even if it meant having to carry something that weighed as much as you did around. _

_And as if weighing her down wasn't bad enough, the said bag also got her into trouble with the last step of the ramp. She hadn't been eating properly for the past few days, and she lacked the energy to heave the bag onto the yacht's deck. _

_Thank goodness for the sweetheart who caught her in the predicament and helped her hoist the heavy bag off the ramp and dropped it onto the deck with a thud. Summer looked up, meaning to thank the person who got her out of that pickle and was taken aback when she saw that it was Freddy Jones. _

_Wow, he helped her. Did that mean he was ready to set their quarrel?_

_But no. After Freddy had gotten his own luggage on the deck, he walked away. He didn't even stick around long enough to hear her say thanks._

"Summer, sweetie, Cabin 7 is over here."

It was Billy who called my attention. He was standing in the middle of the narrow hallway a couple of doors down with a smirk on his face. So consumed in my thoughts was I that I passed the cabin assigned to me and I had to backtrack.

I rolled my eyes, but dragged my luggage over to Cabin 7 anyway. "So does this mean we're bunk buddies?" I asked the still smirking Billy.

The smirk faded away, weirdly enough, and Billy looked…a wee bit nervous?

"Oh yeah, there's something I forgot to tell you…" he said as we stepped inside the cabin.

Actually, only I stepped inside the small room, and the wary Billy still stood just outside the door, wringing his hands.

There was somebody else inside that Cabin. I think what Billy forgot to mention is that he will not my bunk buddy.

Katherine Brown is.

She stood next to one of the beds, iPod phones stuffed in her ears and looked like she was getting ready for bed.

"Could you shut the door so I can change please? Thanks." She said all this without turning around. Of course that also meant she didn't know who it was that just entered the room at the moment.

"What the hell?" I mouthed as calmly as I could. Believe me, acting calm wasn't easy when you're hands are itching to strangle someone.

"Umm, you see I uhh…" he stammered, looking like he desperately wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow in a way that said _I'm listening._

He didn't look like he had a good answer to my question…which is probably why his face brightened like a lightbulb when Alicia and Marta talked and laughed their way down the hallway to their cabin.

Billy ducked his head, his eyes following the two chattering girls. "What was that Alicia?" he asked too loudly to be genuine. "You want to talk to me about something?"

"No," said Alicia as they passed by our door. She looked just as surprised Marta.

"Oh _yes _you do," Billy insisted through narrowed eyes and gritted teeth. In a split second, he flashed me a smile and said "Later Sum!" over his shoulder before he slammed the door shut. A few seconds later I heard muffled noises of a hand clamping over a protesting mouth and someone being dragged by someone else.

This had _Plan of Billy Falduto_ written all over it. During one of his visits, he told me Katie's side of the story. Since then he had been egging me to talk to Katie and Zack just to patch things up and clear things out. I love Billy to bits, but sometimes I wish I could just tell him to mind his own business.

I sighed, feeling slightly helpless, and decided to just accept my fate.

"So listen, I--" Katie began, but was cut off when she finally saw who her roommate was going to be. I felt my own shoulders stiffen, automatically on defensive mode. But Katie, although surprised, tried not to get fazed too much. "What are you…I mean…are we like…roomies?"

All I could say was "Looks like it."

"I thought Tomika was supposed to be my bunkie." I had to give her credit. This girl is brave.

"Yeah, well, so did I." Katie's face fell at the icy response. Brave or not, it still didn't change the fact that I have every intention of ignoring her for the rest of the cruise. And maybe the rest of our lives.

I set my bag down on the bed, ready to start double-checking if I had all the things I needed. Katie didn't say another word and just fiddled with her bass. I felt her eyes dart in my direction a few times while I made sure I had enough underwear and socks for three days, as though she wanted to say something more but didn't dare do so.

But when I was halfway through checking my makeup and toiletries, Katie stopped playing. I heard her bass fall with a flump on her bed, simultaneous with her groan.

Unable to help myself, I looked over in her direction and saw her lean forward on the bed, looking slightly pale. They were the telltale signs of nausea and it worried me a bit. She might be a backstabbing bitch, but she was still my friend. And she had a living thing inside her. I couldn't just ignore that.

So despite my reservations, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and leaned over on my knees. "You all right?" I asked her.

Katie opened one eye. "Just a little nauseated, is all," she said, looking unsure of how to react to my sudden concern.

"I think have some medicine in my bag somewhere, if you need it," I offered, already rummaging in my bag for that little pouch of medicines I always brought with me when I travel. What? I like to be prepared for anything.

"Yeah, that'd be great," said Katie. I saw the beginnings of an uncertain smile on her face, and I smiled back.

"Oh no wait," I said, drawing back my hand from the bag hesitantly. "I don't think you should take anything while you're…you know. It might be bad for the…umm…baby."

"Oh!" Katie made a face. "Right, I didn't think about that." She laughed nervously and tugged at the neck of the red cheongsam-style top she was wearing. "Damn, I feel like an idiot most of the time these days. There are so many things I can't do, and so many things I can't eat. I didn't even know what to tell my parents when I plainly refused to drink pink champagne on our Christmas toast or why mom's pot roast made me want to throw up."

"Yeah, Billy told me about that, and your craving for brownie chunk chocolate ice cream and mayonnaise," I smiled, a genuine smile this time.

"Oh God, yeah," she slapped her forehead with the heel of her hand. "It's so gross, but I've been craving it all week long."

It was weird. If it wasn't my boyfriend who knocked her up, these are the kinds of conversations we would have. I would be the first to know that she was pregnant, she would ask me everything she wanted to know about pregnancy and I'd act like the know-it-all best friend and tell her everything I know from books and internet and stuff. We would try to hatch a plan on how to tell her parents, and/or how to keep her parents from finding out, maybe even ask Freddy and Zack for help. She would tell us every little new thing she experienced, how afraid she is and we'd comfort her and assure her that we'll be with her every step of the way. We probably would still be friends.

And suddenly I felt strange, because it occurred to me that things _weren't_ the same anymore. We weren't supposed to be having this friendly conversation, or any conversation for that matter. Me helping her with the nausea didn't mean we were okay again. She broke my trust and she would have to work hard to put it back together.

I had to get out of here. "Hey, I just remembered that I have to, uhh, do this thing and--" I said, flustered, and got up on my feet abruptly.

"Oh, sure," Katie said. She looked a bit puzzled, and somewhat disappointed that I was leaving. Just when we were making some progress too. "I could use some rest anyway so…yeah."

"Later then."

I was almost at the door when…

"Summer, wait." And Katie was on her feet, seemingly forgetting her nausea, and made her way toward me. I waited for her to take the three steps she needed to cross our cabin with a curious eyebrow quirked.

"I…I'm really sorry," she blurted out quickly, flushing as red as her silky cheongsam, as though she had been gathering the courage to say those words for weeks. "I know you probably won't believe me, but I really didn't mean to hurt you. You're one of my best friends and you deserve better than this so if you want to know the whole story I'll gladly tell you and--"

"Katie," I said, grabbing her hand to get her to stop ranting. And it worked. Katie fell silent and looked down at me with an almost pitiful expression on her face. It was a strange sight, a taller, prettier, tougher-looking girl asking forgiveness from a, for lack of better word, shrimp like me.

Her hand was in mine, and for a moment, it felt just like old times, like old friends. And maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't hurt to give her a chance. I gave her hand a squeeze, and instead of talking, I gave her a smile. It was probably a rueful smile, but I think there was a mix of hopefulness in it. Katie smiled back, and I know she understood. She understood that our friendship _was _damaged and it would take time to heal.

Yeah it would take time. But someday it will.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

I am going to _murder _Billy Falduto.

I swear I'm going to find that glittery, squeaky little lady-boy, wring his neck and shake his moussy hair to imperfection until he tells me the reason why he's punishing me for no apparent reason.

The dude was in charge of bunk assignments right? Yeah, and I appreciate the fact that he didn't stick me in a room with Zack, I really do. But _God _he didn't have to force me to room with the most supernaturally boring person in the freakin' universe. Marco "Let's Paint Warhammer Figures" Hosey. He could've made me room with Frankie, or even P. Diddy boy Leonard, but _Marco?! _

I mean, okay, I like Marco…enough. He's been a friend and bandmate for years, but that doesn't mean I want to spend my two-night cruise playing Pokemon cards with him.

For a jock, Marco sure was goddamned dorky. Just look at him, the little geek with his stupid "figs". (He really shouldn't call the action figures that; it taints the name of the snack food.)

I think he sensed me looking (err…glaring, more like) at him from where I stood, leaning on the cabin door, arms crossed on my chest in true hostile fashion.

"Uhh Freddy? You're looking at me funny," he pointed out to me as though I hadn't noticed. "Do you want to help me paint the figs? I'll let you do the wizard if you want. You look like you need a little fun."

I suppressed the urge to snort. "As much _fun_ as that sounds, buddy, I think I'll pass."

"Okay, if you're sure," he shrugged and went right back to painting. Dork.

Hand on the door, I called out to Marco over my shoulder. "I'm taking a walk around the yacht. Be back in a few."

Without waiting for a reply I bolted out of the cabin and was already climbing the stairs to the first deck like the little happy sailor that I wasn't before I knew it.

I feel kinda bad for bitching on Marco, but he's got to understand. I've been feeling like crap for days and there's no one I could vent on. No, that's not entirely correct. There's no one I felt like venting out on. They just won't get me. The only person I could talk to is Zack, but since he's part of the reason why I'm feeling shitty, a heart-to-heart talk with the guitarist is out of the question. (Fist-to-face, maybe, but heart-to-heart, I don't think so.)

And really, it's not Marco's fault that I'm stuck with him. He has Billy to thank for that.

And so now I embark on my mission: to find someone who's at least a _smidge _more interesting than Marco "The Last Airbender" Hosey.

My first option, of course, was Frankie so I stopped by his cabin on my way up to the first deck. But even before I could think about knocking, I heard some very disturbing sounds from inside the room. When I saw Eleni's scrunchie on the doorknob, I gave up on the idea of billiards with my old pal. Obviously, he's found a better activity to occupy his time with. But I'd rather not think about that; it'll give me nightmares for years.

On the first deck near the top of the stairs was the door to the ladies' room, and from it emerged Katie. Thank ye gods! At last, someone who makes sense! Katie liked to act like it, but she's not really a walking, talking cloud of misery.

Then again maybe not. "Someone kill me now," were the first words she said when she saw me.

She hung around on the entryway, leaning on the doorframe and looking a tad out of breath. Not enough to keep me from smelling her funky breath though.

"Geez Katie, take a Tic-tac or something, what's wrong with you?" I asked, all sensitive-like.

She glared at me before shutting the bathroom door behind her. "Gimme a break Jones, you try being fucking pregnant. Been puking my brains out," she said, wiping her hands on her black leggings. "Fuck I wanna _die_."

"Well, you could always pitch yourself overboard," I joked, not really thinking about what I was saying. Katie shot me a dirty look (or the dirtiest look she could muster in her state). I was about to say something smart-alecky when her eyes widened, her hands flew to her mouth and suddenly she bolted toward the nearest side of the boat that faced the water.

"Katie, holy crap, I was only kidding!" I yelled, running after her on instinct. I seriously thought she was going to follow my advice and jump overboard.

And then I heard her retching, so for a moment I was relieved. See, there's the key phrase there: "for a moment". 'Cause you know, I'm one of those guys who couldn't stand listening or watching someone turn their stomach inside out without wanting to hurl too. Right now, the sound of Katie trying to give herself a manual gastric lavage is a little contagious. Already I could feel my stomach wrenching.

I backed away from her. I know this isn't the most gentlemanly way out but under the circumstances…

"Hang tight, Posh, I'll find someone to help you," I told her just before I rushed toward the dining lounge, which was also on the first deck and not far from where I left Katie. Luckily, I spotted Marta, Alicia and Leonard (this dude has been dogging the backup singers for days now. I wonder who he's after?), who also seemed to be on their way to the dining lounge. They noticed me running down the hall and waved me over.

"Guys, who's Katie's roommate?" I asked them.

"I think Tomika is, why?" Marta shot Alicia a look like they knew something I didn't. She seemed slightly fidgety, tugging down the blue spaghetti strapped shirt that looked a little small for her.

Remembering Katie, I decided to ignore it. "Katie's puking all over the place, she shouldn't be left alone."

"But Tomika's singing at the lounge with Lawrence to practice her solo for tomorrow," Alicia said, elbowing Marta's bare stomach to stop her fidgeting. "Marta and I are supposed to go next."

All eyes turned to Marta. The girl had always been known for the Florence Nightingale syndrome and we all knew that with just a bit of prodding, she'd agree to take care of anyone.

She caught on quickly. "Ugh, all right fine," she rolled her eyes at all of us. "You guys go ahead, I'll find Katie."

"She might still be in the ladies' room," I informed her

"Are you sure you'll be okay, Marta?" Alicia asked, biting back a smirk.

"Whatever Allen, I'll be fine," Marta said. Shoving her hands in her jeans' pockets, she skipped off in the direction of the restrooms.

"What about you, drummer boy? You wanna hang with us for a bit?"

I was sorely tempted to say yes, because after all, wasn't that why I left the cabin in the first place? Find company and stuff?

But Leonard was gesturing wildly over Alicia's head, telling me to beat it and stop messing up his game. I took the hint and shook my head, although I gave Leonard a fleeting look to say he owed me one.

"Nah, you guys go on enjoy. Jazz isn't really my thing," I said. Yeah, the songs that all three backup singers chose to sing for the wedding were jazz since they all shared a mutual love for it. Plus, Carrie herself was a sucker for jazz.

Anyway, Leonard caught on and quickly steered Alicia away with a hurried "Ayt, cool see you 'round, bro."

It was when the pair of them disappeared through the revolving wood-and-glass doors of the lounge did I realize that everyone in the old School of Rock crowd was paired up.

'_Damn that fag and his mistletoe. This is all his fault,'_ I thought, climbing up to the second deck (I had nowhere else to go anyway). Everyone's all lovey-dovey now and I'm left here, alone and angry and bitter. Fuck.

_Aha, Michelle, of course! _I thought triumphantly when I saw my tall, willowy, blonde ex-flame. I knew I was bound to find _some_oneShe was standing by the yacht's edge, elbows resting on the railing as she looked out into the water. She was wearing one of those complicated tops that went off one shoulder and she looked completely gorgeous, in the classic model way. If the old Freddy still inhabited my body, he'd think the girl was a major babe, and he'd be out there, bombarding her with smooth moves and kick-ass lines.

Too bad old Freddy didn't live here anymore, and had been replaced by some pathetic loser who couldn't even stop obsessing about _She-Who-I-Refuse-to-Think-About. _But I digress.

"Ahoy there, hot lass on board."

There was faint giggling before Michelle looked over her shoulder at me. "Hello Freddy."

I joined her by the railing shortly. "Whatcha up to?"

"Oh nothing, just waiting for my boyfriend to call," she said nonchalantly. With a straight face too. I thanked the gods that there was the iron railing for me to lean on, or else I would've fallen face first into the water.

"_You?_" I said, not bothering to hide my shock. "You have a boyfriend? But you don't go steady!"

"Yeah, well, things change, you know?" Michelle said, casually flipping her sandy-blonde hair over her shoulder.

"I know, but a boyfriend?" I shook my head, smiling. She was talking about the whole boyfriend thing like its no big deal, but her eyes had the glow of a person happily in love. "Michelle Green. Who would've thought, huh?"

"Don't make fun of me!" she whined, punching my shoulder playfully. "I thought it was about time I tried something a little more serious. It's kind of lonely in the fashion business, not to mention really hectic and it's just nice to have someone special to talk to and stuff at the end of a long day."

I should've known I wouldn't be able to escape the issue of special someones…and the fact that I had no special anyone whatsoever.

"And the fact that he's an _incredibly _hot professional model from Italy makes him a heck of a _lot _more than just interesting," she added as an afterthought, a mischievous glint in her baby-blue eyes. I had laugh out loud; it was just so typical of her.

I was about to ask her how he met this new stud of hers and tease her about their escapades when her mobile phone decided to intervene.

"Hold that thought, I have to take this call," she said, holding up a finger in the air while she fished her phone out of her pocket.

And that's how the shortest conversation in history ended. For ten minutes hence, it was like I evaporated as Michelle spoke to her beau on the phone. Having nowhere else to go, I hung around, thinking hey, maybe if I stick around long enough, it'd be almost like I was part of the conversation.

That is until Michelle purred "Stop saying _sebellisima, _babe, you know it turns me _on._"

It was around that time that I figured that I really wasn't…eh…_welcome_ to this kind of talk, no matter how close I thought we were.

A few minutes after I left Michelle to have phone-sex (what? It sounded like they were going there anyway, don't look at me like that) with her Italian stud, I was back at the rear of the yacht near the staircase that led to the cabins, possibly on the same spot where I left Katie around an hour ago.

I stood by the railing, arms folded on my chest, and glared at the river. I wonder why people think this kind of location -- y'know, surrounded by water -- was romantic. It smells funky here, it doesn't look safe and it makes people blow chunks (insert image of Katie throwing up here). What's so romantic about that?

I choked back a mirthless laugh. Pretty funny huh? I set out to find company and yet after going through all that trouble, I still ended up where I began: alone with only my awful thoughts to accompany me. Actually, the reason why I didn't want to be alone is that so I wouldn't have to think. Because when I do, all my thoughts go directly to her. Thinking of her hasn't been an entirely pleasant experience.

And as if those awful thoughts weren't enough company, Murphy (and/or Karma. Or whoever it is that loves to see me miserable) decides to send to me the very girl I had been trying so hard not to even think of.

She was walking down the hallway, towards the direction of the stairs I presumed. She was walking in my direction. The breeze making a mess of her long dark hair and her eyes trained on the shiny wooden panels of the floor. She was also ignoring everything around her, even the gorgeous view of the sun setting behind her, giving her a kind of ethereal glow.

I squinted through the light of the sunset, trying to get a good look at her face. I haven't done that in a while and I hated to admit that I missed it. A lot.

If I moved a second sooner, I would've probably been able to duck out of sight and leave without her noticing. She wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings anyway, she'll never know I was there. But my body refused to cooperate. I just stood there, fixated on the spot, staring unabashedly, longingly at her.

Until she looked up.

She hadn't expected to see me there. I saw it in her expression, and the way she froze in her tracks with her mouth hanging slightly open.

Part of me wanted to forget the whole thing and just go over to her, talk to her, joke around with her. It would've been so easy… I could say hi, and we'd ease into small talk, share a few laughs… At this rate, I didn't care what I'd do, as long as I'm with her again. I just…_God _I just miss being with her so fucking much. It's like a craving for something you can't name, and I'll be damned if I didn't want to satisfy it.

But it was she who wanted me to stay away, right? I'm just doing what she wanted.

So I waited. The sun had already dipped below the surface of the water, the sunset was over and we were bathed in partial darkness as we waited for the deck lights to come alive.

I waited…waited just a little longer. I waited for her to come to do something…to approach me, to make the first move…to come and talk to me…or at least give a sign that she's coming at all. But she was hesitant, if not wary, and she's just taking so long. I don't think I can wait for her forever, 'cause waiting for her seemed pointless and painful.

So even though my very soul was screaming for me not to, I turned the other way and left her standing there. The ball is in her court now. If she wanted to talk to me, she should come and find me. I've done my part, and I have better things to do with my time than wait for her to come to her senses.

…

Huh. I wonder what Marco's doing? Come to think of it, painting figs sounds pretty darn cool.

* * *

_**Summer**_

He turned away just as I found the guts to move forward.

Funny isn't it? That I could mingle with hot shot producers, strike deals with the big boys of music companies and haggle with bar owners but I couldn't even approach Freddy Jones.

Hey, just so you know, it isn't easy to approach someone who's obviously intent on acting like I'm invisible.

After that seriously cheesy talk with Katie earlier, I excused myself to set out to explore the yacht. At least, that was what I told Katie…and even myself. And I did that too, at first.

I went to see the large, yellow-lit dining lounge on the first deck, where Tomika was singing accompanied by Lawrence on piano. I was told that the reception for the wedding will be held there. The platform was smaller than the stages we'd grown accustomed to in gigs, but I'm sure the band will manage. They've played in small time bars as well, anyway.

There was also a cafe, next to the dining lounge, but the crew had it locked up. They said it would be converted to a makeshift dressing room for the bride and the entourage tomorrow, so anyone who wished to order from the café could just enjoy their purchase on the outdoor tables, the ones with oversized maroon umbrellas.

A smaller bar was right next to the café. It had a good view of the water from the inside and it opened to the other side of the yacht. As expected, the interior was dark, with a few rather tacky colored lights and warm wooden stools and booths. Reggae tunes were pouring out from the sound system, which was tended to by the Jamaican bartender who wore the same uniform as the rest of the crew. Few people were in there, and I knew none of them. I was a bit surprised to see that Freddy wasn't among the bar's sparse customers. Billy reported that Freddy had been going on nightly drinking sprees again.

And that's when I realized that I had been fooling myself into thinking that I set out to explore the yacht, when the reality is that I set out to find a certain blond drummer, trying to find the right moment to talk to him. I've seen him from afar a few times, but he's never alone whenever I see him and he looks like he's having the time of his life. (Well, that's what it looked like to me; I don't want him to catch me staring for too long.) I know the sight of me will probably just befoul his mood so I let him be and just continued with my lame excuse of exploring the yacht.

When I finally caught him alone, it was by accident. I was actually on my way back to the cabins, tired and ready to abort my mission. I didn't think he'd be standing there, a metaphorical obstruction to my goal. I didn't even see him right away, and when I did, I was so caught by surprise that for a moment, I could not believe that he was actually alone and only a few feet away from me. I couldn't move, couldn't even think of what I had to say. And I thought I wrote a mental list in my head too. I began to doubt myself yet again, as I was accustomed to when it came to matters of the heart. What if he didn't listen? What if he hated my guts for the things I said the other day? What if things don't end up like they're supposed to?

Just when I finally shunned out those thoughts and found my tongue, I lost him. And now I stood alone, watching the water from the side of the yacht, observing the ripples that the vehicle was making. All I could do now is wallow in the hole of misery that I dug for myself.

"Y'know, the yacht's not incredibly huge, but you've been pretty hard to track down, Summer Hathaway."

I glanced up, astonished to see Zack Mooneyham suddenly standing beside me, hands in his pockets and eyes looking in the same direction as my own were in earlier.

"I've been around." My answer was cool and vague and I refused to meet his gaze just yet, but you've got to give me credit for trying. I was trying to decide whether I was ready for this or not.

I already knew what was coming even before it actually came.

"Can we talk?" he asked, ignoring my less-than-friendly response. His earnest eyes were trained on me, I could feel them.

He seemed as laid-back as I remembered him, in his white _The Darkness _concert tee and faded jeans, but his jaw was set, an expression he got when he was determined to do something no matter what. This is the closest proximity we had since the Christmas party, and the first time I actually spoke to him.

And also, for the first time since _that_ night, I did not wish to flee at the sight of him, nor did I cringe at the sound of his voice. I took a deep breath, and when I finally agreed to meet his familiar soft brown gaze I knew that it was time.

"Okay."

* * *

A/N: Wow. There is no doubt about it…this was the longest chapter I've ever written. Lots of things going on in there. That, plus being out of town most days and the new original story I'm co-writing with my two best friends, are the reasons for taking so long to edit.

The fight between Summer and Freddy was freakin' exhausting to write too. I hope you're not too pissed at me for making Summer and Katie friends again, sort of. It's just the way she is, and I think if I were Summer, that is what I would do.

I also hope nobody got too bored for the lack of Frummerness. There are a lot of things to tie up and I want it all out of the way before we focus on Freddy and Summer. Generally, however, I really like this chapter.

**Next Up: Chapter 20 Closing Time**

The big finale. Dewey's wedding day has arrived at last. Some couples go their separate ways, others look forward to life of being together, but the question is…which ones? And will broken friendships ever be regained?

Everybody say it with me… _**Review, please!**_


	21. Closing Time

**What You Least Expect  
- endymion -**

**Disclaimer:** School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

**Disclaimer 2:** The song _Closing Time_ belongs to Semisonic etc, etc.

_**Note:** _Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV.

On with the story!

* * *

**Chapter 20: Closing Time**

_**Freddy**_

It was a perfect day for a wedding.

Well. Not that I would really _know_ what perfect days for weddings are like, since this is the first time I was actually invited to one, but it's a perfect day nonetheless. The top deck of the yacht where the wedding is going to be held is all prepped up and ready to receive the guests that were arriving. Some of them only just arrived, some talking in small clusters, others taking their seats on the rows of Tiffany chairs that were carefully decorated with aquamarine satin and organza bows. Clusters of fresh roses and lilies were stationed on stands that lined the red-carpeted aisle.

The sunlight made the colors brighter and more vivid. The air was crisp with just a light breeze. The water was calm and the sky was clear with only a few clouds dotting the bright blue.

But boy, for all its perfection, I actually _hate_ this day.

For one thing, I woke up _late._ I hardly had any sleep and I'm cranky when I lack sleep. Did no one really know that Marco was a terrible sleep-talker, or did they just forget to warn me? He kept on mumbling things about the Star Wars saga which basically kept me up until he turned and smushed his face into a pillow. I know a lot more about Yoda and Obi Wan mow than I ever wanted to. When I was able to tune him out finally, it was around four in the morning. I only managed to get up when Marco roused me (for the sixth time according to him) into cantankerous wakefulness. I had to miss breakfast in the dining hall just to get ready (get a shower and dress up…ties are goddamned complicated to do) in time, and now my stomach is cursing me for depriving it of its morning nutrition.

For another, I'm in a suit, and I fucking _hate _suits. The damned thing is heavy and the stuffiness is almost unbearable.

The only things that are even more unbearable than the suit are the happy couples. I didn't know many of them, they're probably Carrie's relatives and they all "loved weddings, _sniff_". I did know some of those couples, however, which was even worse because I get front row seats to their lovey-dovey-ness.

Take Frankie and Eleni for example. And Tomika and Lawrence. _And_ Alicia and Leonard. (Turns out that Lenny was able to ask Alicia to be his date for the wedding just after I left them alone yesterday.) Even _Miss Mullins_ was here with a date. Spider from No Vacancy, can you believe it? Patty Di Marco was here of course. She's alone at the moment, because Ned will be facilitating the ceremony. I know, _surprise_, Ned's the minister. The dude never failed to amaze me. He also promised to take over Katie's bass later during the reception in case she gets another nausea attack.

Oh, must not forget the couple of the hour. Dewey was already here, dressed in his sleek black suit and white tie. This is the most formal I've ever seen him after his days as a fake teacher in Horace Green, and even then he looked pretty scruffy. He's sweating like a whore in church though. Guess its just nerves; the dude's getting married after all. Carrie, for the first time ever, was obedient to tradition. She is to remain in her cabin-suite until the maid of honor goes to get her.

The entourage was now gathering at the end of the short aisle. Actually, I should be joining them now too since I'm one of the groomsmen. The wedding planner is pretty cruel, and she kept squawking at everyone to go to their places. (We nicknamed her Chicken, after the squawking and the faux feathers on her jacket.) I would've gladly joined their happy little group, if not for one teeny tiny detail.

Zack and Summer.

_Together_.

They just appeared on the top of the stairs that led to the main deck. Summer climbed to the top deck first, Zack following close behind. They were both dressed for the wedding, Zack in his suit and tie, Summer in a flowy, knee-length, aqua colored dress that was designed especially for the bridesmaids, her hair falling in waves. They were chatting idly as they joined the rest of the entourage, Summer's hand holding onto Zack's elbow. From where I stood they looked perfectly happy.

The perfect happy couple. _Ugh,_ the very thought made me want to do some incredibly extensive damage on something.

So yeah, as much as I would _love _to join that cozy little group, I might just _distract _the perfect happy couple or something. Snort.

"What's gotten into you?"

Katherine Brown stood beside me, casually snacking on a sandwich like a twelve year old in recess, not a pregnant nineteen year old about to attend a wedding. She had on a wine-colored empire dress (also courtesy of Billy Falduto), instead of the bridesmaid dress, since she wasn't part of the entourage.

I ignored her question though. Glaring at the dark-haired couple took too much energy and made it hard for me to focus on anything else.

"Are Zack and Summer back together?" I asked through gritted teeth.

Me? In a bad mood? _Nah. _

However, except for her eyebrow that perked suddenly, Katie didn't show a sign that she noticed my agitation.

"I didn't even know that they broke up," she shrugged, not bothering to swallow the bite of sandwich she was chomping on. She's ladylike that way. "What's it to you anyway?"

All the response she got from me was a grunt and a glare before I snatched the sandwich out of her hands. Her eyes widened in surprise and she tried to grab the sandwich back, but I was just too quick – and too hungry – to be outsmarted.

"No, wait I don't think you'll like--!"

It was the grossest, most horrible sandwich I've ever tasted in my entire life.

"Fucking _hell, _Posh!" I coughed, forcing the bite down my throat. It was a wonder that it didn't just burn a hole in my esophagus with its vileness. "What the fuck was _in_ that thing?!"

"Peanut butter, mustard and herring," she recited, dutifully nodding her coiffed head at the mention of each ingredient.

I gave her a contemptuous look. "You're gross."

"No, I'm pregnant, so there. And I tried to warn you didn't I?" she raised her chin and stole the sandwich back. Not that I had any plans of keeping it. Bleh. "Oh, by the way, what's going on with you and Tink?"

There was a bad taste in my mouth, and it wasn't Katie's sandwich.

"Nothing," I answered all too truthfully, if not defensively. Katie's left eyebrow shot up again.

"Right, and I'm Mary Sunshine from the land of rainbows and pop lovers," she snorted. "Everybody knows something funky is going on. We're not idiots, dude. We all noticed it during the first practice since we got back."

"Yeah? Noticed what, exactly?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Uhh, other than the fact that Zack and I practically walked in on you two making out in Dewey's back porch?" she paused long enough in her rhetorical question to give me a smirk. "Let's see…you're civil to each other now, you sneak looks at each other when you think no one is looking and you get a particularly nasty look on your face when Summer so much as _talks _to Zack," Katie ticked off the instances on her fingers. "Duh. A goddamn _caveman _could figure out that something is, at the very _least_, amiss."

"Tune up the sarcasm a wee bit more, Posh, you're losing your touch."

Katie rolled her eyes at the joke before she shrugged. "We've all been wondering what that was about. You guys were freaking us out, but we didn't ask 'cause we didn't think it was a big deal."

"Oh…"

I didn't realize how obvious it was. If the entire _band _knew something was up, then I might as well have had Summer's name in a heart tattooed on my forehead.

"Well," I said, shaking my head. I pushed myself off the wall I was leaning against, brushing away any dust particles that might've settled on the dark gray of my suit. "I'm glad my non-existent love affair with Summer is out in the open, but whatever rumors you people have been whispering about, it all isn't true."

After giving me a dubious look, Katie shook her head with a quiet laugh.

"Normally, I'd tell you that if you wanted Summer -- and I know you do, don't even bother denying it -- then go for it," she said, reaching forward to straighten up my haphazardly done tie, ignoring everything I just said. "But I'm really in no position to give love advice, now am I?"

By the time she finished her little speech, she had already fixed up my tie and stowed what was left of her revolting sandwich in her purse.

"I'm going to my seat now. You'd better get in that entourage line. The Chicken might make you sneeze to death with those hideous feathers," Katie said. She clapped my back before heading off to the row of seats that is reserved for the band members.

Not long after she left, Lawrence began the opening notes of the bridal march to acknowledge that Carrie, clad in silk and pearls, had finally arrived.

I heaved a deep sigh and reluctantly fell in line behind Summer and Zack, much to the wedding planner's relief.

* * *

_**Summer**_

As far as weddings go, Dewey's wasn't bad.

The ceremony itself was short and simple. Both Dewey and Carrie's vows were unusual yet rather touching. They didn't try to take big flowery words, or verses and poetry; it even got a little crass at some points, thanks to Dewey. But they said what they felt, and that was enough. Carrie's parents looked like they didn't approve of such informalities but clapped and smiled genuinely all the same when Dewey lifted Carrie's veil and kissed her.

The reception that followed was much more to my liking though. The guests were settled in the round tables for ten for lunch. The School of Rock table still had some empty seats, since the rest of the band were onstage. As dinner was served, School of Rock kept everyone entertained.

I have to say, for a band that just recently got back together after being in college for some time, School of Rock is doing really well. Halfway through their first song (a cover of The Eagles' _Love Will Keep Us Alive_ that Zack chose especially for the bride and groom's first dance) several producers have already approached me, armed with offers of a new record deal.

Save for a few accidental out of tune melodies, missed beats and whatnot, they ran through their set of songs perfectly. Tomika did her usual powerhouse Aretha Franklin cover, Marta did a Kelly Clarkson song and Alicia surprised everyone by doing a reggae number that is actually her very own, first ever single. Their song choices offered variety to the mostly-rock set.

And, to my surprise, the band even had a few gimmicks up their sleeves. For instance, after their fifth song, they asked Dewey to come up onstage to sing _Patience _by Guns 'n' Roses. Our newly-wed mentor agreed of course, and was only too happy to oblige. The crowd's favorite is probably the band's cover of _Iron Man_, where the band members each did a solo.

As for boring ol' me, I spent the most part of the reception on my designated seat with Eleni, Michelle, Leonard, Frankie and Billy. I left the table exactly two times. One was when I had to go to the bathroom and the other was when Billy asked me to dance, since he and I were the only ones left in the table without partners. (Frankie and Eleni had partnered up of course, and Michelle wanted to dance so she dragged Leonard into the dance floor.) Gordon and Marco were working on the sound board throughout the band's performance, and they would be having their lunch together with the band when the entire performance is over.

It shouldn't be long now. The end of the set, I mean. The band is already playing the opening bars for _Closing Time, _a song Zack had written to end their performance. I've heard the song before, during the first few band practices, but the lyrics have changed from what they were at first.

"Closing time, open all the doors and let you out into the world…"

I smiled upon hearing that first line. Zack told me he kept everything from the original version of that song, from the intro to the rhythm, and even the guitar-and-drum riff right before the outtro. But recent events have inspired him to change the song's words. He told me all about it yesterday, when he sought me out for a little talk …

_Summer tapped her fingers nervously on the wrought iron table for two that she and Zack were occupying. The table belonged to the yacht's café, and it was situated outdoors. (It could've passed for an extra large high stool though, given how tiny it is.) Zack ordered two coffees for them, which were now settled on the table, but neither really felt like drinking. _

_It had been a few minutes since Summer agreed to come here with Zack to talk, but so far, very little talk had happened. They sat quietly, dawdling, stirring their rapidly cooling coffees, lifting their coffee mugs and then putting them back down. _

_They had to stop skirting around the issue, Summer knew, and so she took it upon herself to take the initiative. _

"_I'm sorry I didn't answer your calls," she said, opening up the conversation. Zack lifted his gaze from the coffee mug. "I…I haven't been feeling well."_

"_Of course you haven't been, after what I did…" he trailed off, and began to rotate his mug on its coaster. "But after everything that happened in that back porch, I thought we should talk about…you know…what to do…"_

"_I know what you mean," Summer agreed, folding her hands on her lap, willing them to stay still. She _had_ to stop fidgeting. "So…what do you think we should do now?"_

"_We could…try again. You know, start over. If you want to…"_

_Zack's voice trailed away again, and he was looking at her expectantly. Summer looked out, past the railing of the yacht and into the open water, where the lights of the vehicle reflected like diamonds on blue satin. _

_Summer took a breath, chewing on her bottom lip as she thought it over. _

_They could try again. They were good together; there was no doubt about that. They'd been together for years and other than this whole Katie thing, they had no huge problems. They were happy with each other, and everyone in School of Rock could vouch for that. Everyone was even joking around about the two of them getting married shortly after Dewey and Carrie. And Summer knew that the band would be happy for them if she and Zack stayed together. That's probably what everyone is expecting._

_But was that what she wanted? _

_She thought of Katie, her quiet, sarcastic bassist of a friend. Summer always said that there was no reason to be suspicious of Katie when it came to Zack. She knew better now, and not only because of what transpired between them in Duvall. When they were still in Horace Green High, Katie never said anything, and Summer never put much thought in the bassist's relationship with Zack. Now that she thought about it, maybe she should have. Then she would have seen that Katie was, in fact, completely smitten with Zack, and that getting him together with Summer was just another desperate attempt to get over him. Summer would've noticed that Katie went out with almost every boy who looked her way to keep herself preoccupied with someone other than Zack. Katie tried to make the relationships work, she really did, but they just never did and it's because those guys just weren't Zack. _

_In fact, Summer thought that if it weren't for her, Zack probably would've been with Katie long ago. She knew how special Katie was to Zack. Summer just marked it down with Zack and Katie's being friends since their diaper days, but in the deep recesses of her unconscious, she knew that that wasn't the complete truth. The two guitarists had known each other forever, and they understood each other better than anyone. Zack's optimism fit right into Katie's cynical nature like two pieces of the same puzzle. _

_And then her thoughts went to Freddy, and the past three months with him in Culvert. That they had a rocky start was the understatement of the season. But that rocky path had been smoothed over as they spent more time together, didn't it? She didn't even bother to deny that most days she spent with Freddy were some of the best she's ever had. With him around, the most menial and tedious of chores become mere pastimes. Despite her initial impressions of Freddy being a crude, womanizing idiot, she had come to accept that he was a beautiful, thoughtful person. He cared about her a great deal, that much was obvious in the things he did for her. _

_They had something, he had said. They had something real. Summer had told him it was impossible, but in her heart she knew that wasn't true. _

_Could he be right? Could they have really fallen for each other? Or more importantly…could she have fallen in love with him? Surely those three months of confusing yet extremely memorable times with Freddy couldn't compare to the three, almost four years of being a couple with Zack? _

_Could it?_

"_Summer?" Zack's voice penetrated her thoughts, and she glanced at him, startled. He raised his eyebrows at her, urging her to go back to the matter at hand. _

_They could try again…start over…but…_

"_No," she choked out without really planning to. Zack heard, she saw the shock, hurt and sorrow in his eyes when he comprehended what she said. _

"_These years with you have been great…Really great," she plowed on, making sure their gazes were locked. Well, she can't take it back now can she? Steeling herself, she dared to reach forward and take his hand. His skin felt warm and familiar, yet strange at the same time. "But we're…we're just…I don't know…different people now."_

"_Oh," was all he said. He didn't let go of her hand, but he dropped his gaze on the table. Summer's heart went out to him, but she held her ground. This was what they had to do. It felt right._

"_Think about it Zack," she went on, her voice soft, soothing, yet firm. "We could try again, yes. But judging from the past events with you and Katie, and me and—" she cut herself off. She wasn't ready to talk about that. "Anyway, I don't think it's what we really want. Yeah, we had something, and it was good while it lasted, but we don't have to feel obligated to each other because of it."_

_Summer was slightly taken aback when she heard Zack chuckle softly. _

"_I kind of knew you would say that," he said. He found the courage to look at her again. He was smiling, but his eyes were sad. _

_She saw it was only right to apologize. After all, she had been doing some pretty untrustworthy things behind his back too. "I'm really sorry." _

_Zack shook his head, squeezing the increasingly fidgety girl's hand. "No, I'm glad you said so. I've been thinking the same thing, to tell you the truth…" he clarified, "This is actually why I wanted to talk to you so badly. I was hoping you've already made sense of the situation, and would know what to do 'cause I was going nuts by thinking about it by myself. I couldn't very well talk to Katie about this, with her triple dose of PMS. Normally I'd be boring Freddy's ass off with my sob story but…well, you know how things are."_

_Summer's mouth clamped shut at the mention of the drummer's name. The reaction didn't go unnoticed by Zack, whose eyebrows rose in interest. _

"_Speaking of which…I have a question for you," said Zack, now leaning forward on the table with a determined gleam in his eyes. "Those photographs that whack chick showed me at Dewey's…" Zack paused, taking time to watch Summer squirm in her seat. "What you and Freddy have been doing…they weren't all just for show, were they?"_

_Images of the memories captured in those photos came back to Summer in a rush of heat. The hand-holding, the kissing, those fleeting looks and touches…they might've all been faked for Olivia, but the looks in their eyes while she and Freddy danced on Halloween night…the feeling of forgetting everything except for the person holding the other…no. Of course those weren't faked. Neither of them were good enough actors to fake such strong emotions._

_Summer bit back a wistful smile, lowering her gaze in silence. That was all the answer Zack needed. _

"_I thought so," he said, a corner of his mouth starting to creep up in a half-smile. _

_She shook her head. "It's never going to happen now. I think I blew any chance I might've had with him."_

"_We don't know that for sure," Zack shrugged. _

_A long silence fell over the pair, as both tried to digest what just happened. It was a bizarre feeling, saying goodbye to something you've held onto for a long time. To Summer, it felt sort of like moving out of the house you grew up in. You know the house will always be there and you could visit any time you like, but you don't get to do the things you used to do, because you have no claim on it anymore. And you loved that house, you really did, but it's just time to move on to different things now. You love your new house so much more, but in your heart, you know that part of you will always belong to the old one. _

"_I'm sorry," Zack said, breaking the friendly quiet. He was apologizing for everything he's done wrong. For not being able to work things out with her. _

"_It's for the best, for both of us," Summer smiled reassuringly. "Now come on, I think the dinner bell is ringing."_

_She pushed her chair back, her heart feeling lighter than it had for…damn. She can't even remember feeling this free. Releasing a deep, contented sigh, she turned on her heel to head toward the dining hall. _

"_Hey Summer." _

_She paused, looked back, a startled 'huh?' barely making it out of her lips when Zack suddenly closed the distance between them. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her closer until she was pressed up against him, her hands trapped against his chest. And then he lowered his mouth to hers in a startlingly gentle kiss. _

_It was a chaste kiss, just two mouths pressing deeply into each other, very much like their first. But this kiss was bittersweet; it tasted of the end of a good thing, of closure… of a goodbye. Summer leaned into him, savoring her last few intimate moments with her soon-to-be ex. _

'This is the last time…_' she thought. This is the last time she would be in this embrace. This is their last kiss and her heart ached somewhat to know that a few seconds from now, she will no longer have the right to be this intimate with him. _

_Only the thought of Freddy made the ache disappear. _

_They pulled apart, and Zack was smiling down at her. She smiled back, feeling sentimental tears burning her eyes. _

"_Thank you for everything," she said, unable to help herself. Zack laughed, and tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear. His eyes were alight, and he had the look of someone struck with inspiration. _

"_I think I have some rewriting to do tonight." _

I may not be a poet, but I think Zack's new lyrics are sheer poetry.

And maybe I'm just biased, but my God…I loved every word of it. Of course, I've always been an avid fan of Zack's work but this one was particularly meaningful to me. To all the other guests who were now listening appreciatively to the song, it might have given off the general feel of finality, decisions, endings and perhaps beginnings. And although the song conveyed all those things to me, I felt that it meant so much more than that.

Through this song, Zack is letting me – and us – go.

"Every new beginning is from some other beginning's end…"

After a rather astounding guitar-and-drum riff courtesy of him and Freddy, Zack crooned the last line into the mic, the backup singers humming along with him in the background. The song closed with the last few notes fading away, and the audience broke into applause. Some even did as much as give a standing ovation and a couple of hoots as Zack introduced each of the band members and they did the final bow.

The people settled back down in their seats when Dewey replaced Zack on the mic, clapping his hands together and beaming like very proud daddy.

"School of Rock, my pride and joy, everybody," he said, speaking over the din of applause. "So we'll take a five minute breather, and then we'll resume with the program so just hang tight, a'ight? Cool."

This break is probably to give the band and crew time to put away the instruments before the start of the wedding traditions. You know, cake-cutting, bouquet-throwing and all that jazz. Most of the band members had already left the stage though, as they had little to no instruments to take care of. They've come to join us on our table, looking particularly ravenous as they grabbed their plates and headed for the buffet. The only ones who were left onstage with the roadies were Freddy and Lawrence, whose instruments took longest to put away.

"Hey, Pixie."

I smiled as Zack approached my seat, hands in the pockets of his black trousers, a goofy grin lighting his features. He lost the matching jacket long ago, since it would've been too bothersome to play with it on. The said coat was now hanging on his left shoulder.

"Good song," I told him as I got on my feet to shake his hand. "Give my regards to the writer."

"Will do," he grinned, dropping his head to hide a light blush. I smiled. He never was good at receiving compliments. "Have you spoken to Freddy yet?" he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper so the others wouldn't overhear.

I shook my head no. "I haven't had the chance yet. I'm waiting for him to finish up."

Freddy was still on the stage, speaking to Dewey. It seemed to me that he was in the middle of taking down his drums when the elder rocker interrupted him. I saw Dewey pat his back in his weird rocker-daddy sort of way, Freddy looking rather solemn. I sighed, and focused on Zack once more. "What about you? Talked to Katie yet?"

"I was just about to, actually." Zack glanced over my shoulder to where Katie was seated next to Marta.

I had to admit, Katie looked prettier today than I've ever seen her. The rich, dark red of the dress suited her coloring perfectly, and very few women can get away with that hairstyle. The pregnancy must be really making her bloom, even though it mostly made her puke in all the inopportune moments.

"She looks amazing today, doesn't she?" I nudged Zack on the shoulder. "And a really good musician too. Your kind of girl."

Zack gave his patented shy-guy smile and shook his head. "Well, I'm not sure about us dating. I mean, I like her and all and she's great, but…I guess I just don't want to force ourselves into a relationship just because we have a kid on the way," he admitted. "But we do have a lot of things to figure out. Like how to tell her folks, for instance. And how I could dodge her furious brothers when they go into mad, brotherly rage. You do realize they're going to trample me, don't you?"

I winced, remembering how protective the Brown brothers are when it came to their only sister.

"Well, you'd better get to it then," I told Zack, clapping him on the shoulder and winking ever-so-slightly. I would've said 'Go get 'er tiger!' too, if not for the fear of scaring the poor guitarist out of his wits. Giving me a last squeeze on the arm, he finally made his way toward Katie. From where I stood, I saw Katie look up the instant Zack said her name.

'_I'd better 'get to it' myself,' _I thought, thinking once again of my impending talk with the drummer. I'd been up almost the whole night, just trying to think of what to say to him, of how to make him not mad at me anymore, of _anything _that could possibly prepare me for this encounter, but I couldn't come up with anything.

I was going to have to do one of the things I feared the most: I would have to wing it. No plans and no scripts whatsoever. It would be just me. Dear Lord, have mercy on my poor, petrified soul.

But however terrified I was of baring my soul without any preparations, my mind was set on what I had to do. I glanced around the dining hall, trying to find Freddy among the sea of strangers…

…But he was gone.

* * *

_**Freddy**_

A glass was set down in front of me, the ice clinking around in clear liquid.

"Vodka on the rocks for you, mahn," said the dark-skinned, dread-locked bartender with a thick Jamaican accent.

I raised my glass in thanks and downed half the drink in one gulp, barely savoring the bittersweet tang that the vodka left on my tongue. I set it back down on the polished hardwood surface of the bar and watched the multi-colored lights reflect on the glass and the surface of the drink. I wasn't really in the mood to drink, truthfully speaking, but what the hell was I supposed to do? Besides me, the only other person in here is the bartender. The rest of the booths were empty, the tables still clean and gleaming. Everyone else were still in the wedding reception, screaming mindlessly over bouquets, fighting over garters and making cornball speeches for the bride and groom. Not exactly my cup of tea, y'know?

So here I am, a perfect picture of a drunk slumped on a bar with a half-finished drink and a face like I lost a fortune over a game of dice.

Oh no, the fact that Zack and Summer seems to have gotten back (or stayed) together has absolutely nothing to do with my self-imposed exile. Nothing.

_And the band's performance is finally over. _Closing Time, _as expected, was an instant hit with the audience. As soon as the last notes faded away thunderous applause erupted, followed by chatter and laughter and many congratulations and cheers. _

_After their final bow, the band proceeded to take down their instruments and equipment. Dewey announced a five-minute break for them so they would be able to join the next few activities. The singers and ex-groupies in particular are secretly and not-so-secretly looking forward to the throwing of the bouquet. The roadies and security crew were just eager to finish so they could finally eat. They haven't had a chance to eat yet since the band performed while lunch was being served to the rest of the guests. _

_Freddy was one of the few who were left onstage. Not for the first time, he wished that he played a more compact instrument. Unlike guitars and keyboards, a drum set is not an easy instrument to put away, especially a set as complex as his. _

_He shrugged away the thought and he got on his feet to begin his task, thinking that the sooner he could start, the sooner he will finish. Pocketing his drumsticks, he started to take down his high hat. _

_And as he proceeded to put the cymbals away, he let his eyes wander across the room and landed finally—for the first time since the wedding reception began--on a dark-haired girl. She was seated among the audience, hands folded primly on her lap, a deep, thoughtful look on her face, dark eyes staring off into space. _

_Before then, she had been watching him. He could've sworn he felt her eyes trained on him, watching his every move, listening to every beat he made. He couldn't be sure though, for he had been determined not to look anywhere in her direction in fear of ruining his performance. He knew how her presence affected him, knew all too well the emotions that arise when he so much as looks at her. He didn't want to feel those emotions anymore, nor did he want her to affect him that strongly. _

_And so he avoided such catastrophes by keeping his eyes – and mind – averted and just concentrated on his drumming. _

_The performance is over now however, he reasoned, and he's free to look at her if he wanted to. And he so wanted to, even while knowing the consequences. His willpower broke, and he suddenly found himself searching for her. _

_When he found her, she was no longer seated among the audience with a thoughtful look on her face. Instead, she was on her feet, speaking very closely to the shaggy-haired guitarist, smiling in what Freddy's bitter and paranoid mind thought was affectionate. A scowl twisted the drummer's face, and not because of his finger that he accidentally jammed into his cymbals' hard leather case. _

"_Dude, at the rate you're going, we'll be back at the docks before you finish." _

_Freddy looked up, greeting Dewey's good-natured smirk with a blank stare. _

"_Drums man, you know how it is," the younger boy said, forcing a smile before going on to disassemble his snares._

"_Yeah, especially when your mind is obviously cruising along on its own," Dewey raised a knowing eyebrow at the drummer before bending to hand over a snare case. Freddy didn't respond, and Dewey saw it as a prompt to go on. _

"_Hey man, I'm still not sure what went down between you kids but don't you think it's gone long enough?"_

_Dewey's voice was that of a concerned father's. Freddy could only shrug, not really knowing what to say. _

"_Whatever it is, I know it must've been pretty fucked up. I've known you kids for a long time, you don't fight so much over stupid things."_

"_Zack and I aren't in a fight anymore," Freddy told their mentor. He wasn't lying about that, at least. He and Zack might not be as tight as before, but their little talk the day before the cruise was all they needed at moment. Freddy hoped Dewey would drop the subject. _

_But Dewey had other ideas. "And you and Tink?"_

_Freddy's jaw clenched. For the first time in his entire life, he wished Dewey would go away and leave him alone _

"_Summer and I fight all the time, you know that," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. He also hoped Dewey didn't notice when he almost tripped over his bass drum as he tried to act as normal as possible._

_Too bad Dewey was becoming more intuitive as he grew older. Drats. _

"_Y'know dude, forgiveness is like…the tuning pegs of a guitar," Dewey began. He spoke like he knew exactly what he was talking about, but his forehead was slightly furrowed as he tried his hardest to sound philosophical, like that old master dude in Karate Kid. "It's like the key to, y'know, making beautiful music in, like, all kinds of relationships. When things sound awful, you don't just ignore it, right? You just gotta learn when to give in."_

_Freddy raised his head, staring at Dewey as though wanting to say "What the fuck are you talking about?" The drummer did not understand a word that Dewey said. Well. Dewey couldn't blame him, 'cause he didn't understand what he said either. _

_All the same, he nodded in Freddy's direction. "Seriously, man. Forgiveness is the most important thing in a relationship. Take it from a married man." _

_Another look from Freddy. "Dude. You've been married for what, ten minutes?"_

"_Ten minutes _and _counting, dude!" Dewey straightened out the front of his suit importantly. By this time, most of the drum set was already put away. Only the bass drum remained to be dragged off to the side where the rest of the equipment are stacked. "Listen, I gotta take off. The missus is calling. Finish up quickly, ayt? The program's about to go on."_

"_Yeah, yeah, get out of here," Freddy waved Dewey away, his other hand clutching the bass drum, ready to drag it to the side. Dewey clapped Freddy's shoulder before bouncing down the stage and trotted off to the new Mrs. Finn who was currently chatting with her grandmother-in-law. _

_With a sigh, Freddy proceeded to take his bass drum. But before he could completely leave the stage, he glanced at the School of Rock table again, where Summer and Zack stood talking. He watched Summer reach out to touch Zack's arm. Freddy looked away, shaking his head as he placed the large drum next to the amplifiers. _

_Forgiveness. Huh. Looks like Zack and Summer had no problems understanding the concept. _

_Freddy stormed off toward the bar, ignoring the call of his band mates. _

Well, okay. The self-imposed exile has _everything_ to do with Zack and Summer's apparent reunion. I wasn't able to stomach watching them both _before _I fell for Summer and I sure as hell won't be able to stomach watching them now. And I don't want to infect anyone in there with my bitter emo-ness. It's a disease, I tell you. A freakin' contagious, appalling disease.

I s'pose it's also lucky that the bartender isn't one of those therapist-in-disguise types who ask what your problem is and give you unwanted advice and shit. I wasn't really in the mood to talk, and he didn't seem like he was keen on talking either. He's kinda high on jutes I think. He offered me one earlier, but I refused. Drugs are just plain gross.

The semi-stoned bartender straightened up as though he heard me thinking about him. I shrugged it off and took another gulp of vodka.

"A drink for you miss?" he asked someone who probably just came in, his accent thicker now as he positioned his smoke on an ashtray.

"Umm…no thank you."

Fuck it. I knew that voice.

* * *

_**Summer**_

I found him in the bar, slumped over on a stool with his coat draped over the back of his chair and his tie undone and just hanging on his shoulders like a limp vine. He seemed to have washed the gel out of his hair to get the side-part off. Whether he was already drunk or not, I couldn't tell yet. He was only gone for a few minutes, but Freddy's drinking ability should not be underestimated.

He certainly must be quite buzzed, if he didn't notice me walk in the bar. I mean, even the bartender who was smoking weed in the corner looked up when I walked in and he didn't. So it's either he's all shot from drinking or he's just point-blank ignoring me.

So I advanced further toward Freddy, walking with slow, calculated steps and settled myself on the stool next to him.

"A drink for you, miss?" the bartender spoke from his corner, not even taking his feet off the bar, the roll of weed dangling between his white teeth before he balanced it on an ashtray.

"Umm…no thank you." I was lightheaded enough as it is without the help of the alcohol. The way I'm reeling right now just by thinking about what I'm supposed to say is enough to give me a heart attack.

"Suit yourself." The bartender shrugged, glad that he didn't have to get up from his lazy position. Funnily enough, Freddy didn't budge either. He just kept twirling his drink around with his fingers, eyes intently staring at the glass as though it was the old Magic Eight Ball that we used to consult when we couldn't come up with a decision.

Okay. So he's ignoring me. Nothing new 'bout that; he's been ignoring me for days now anyway. I mean, why else would he keep drinking out of an empty glass? That's okay though, 'cause I know I deserve it. But I can't very well tell him what I need to if he won't even look at me, right?

"You do know that you're drinking out of an empty glass, don't you?" I said, trying to get a reaction out of him. He paused from toying with the glass for a moment, then slid off the barstool. The silk tie slid off his shoulders and onto the floor as he left a fifty dollar bill on the counter and his coat on the stool before starting for the bar's exit. He's walking away, leaving me. Again.

I jumped off the swiveling stool as well, careful not to trip over my own high heels and break my ankle. I managed to tug at his shirtsleeve before he got too far away.

"You can't just ignore me forever, Freddy."

He paused, but didn't turn around, as though stopping in his tracks was against his better judgment. Instead, he turned his head sideways and spoke over his shoulder, though still not quite meeting my gaze.

"What are you doing here?" he sighed finally, his lips barely moving as though thoroughly bored.

Right then, here I go. "I…I wanted to tell you something."

That seemed to have gotten his interest. He turned around completely and leaned on the bar's surface. His head was tilted slightly to the side, one eyebrow raised as he looked down his nose at me.

"So tell me."

His stance reminded me of our old high school days when he used to annoy the hell out of me just by being so goddamned cocky. It always worked then, and it still works just as well right now. At the moment, he seemed to be trying to remind me how much I hated apologizing, most especially when I'm apologizing to _him_. I grit my teeth, refusing to let his arrogance get to me.

'_Relax. Just relax and do it,' _I told myself, taking a deep breath to calm down and pull myself together. Freddy's being a right nasty prick, but I have to tough him out.

"Zack and I broke up," I began in a rush, the words tumbling all over each other that I was afraid that he might not have understood. I stood there, holding my breath and chewing my own tongue as I waited for his response. I hardly slept the night before, thinking of all the things he could possibly say.

The response didn't come at all. He just kept staring at me, his eyebrow still raised as though saying _So what?_

"I said, Zack and I are _no longer together_," I said again, emphasizing the last part just in case he didn't get it.

"I know, I heard you the first time," he said, sounding bored. "So what do you want now? A congratulations?"

Okay, not exactly the response I was expecting. "So…I just thought you might want to know so…"

"Uh-huh, sure. Anything else?" he said in that mock-friendly tone of voice. I was speechless on how determined he was on acting like a damn bastard.

I thought when he finds out that Zack and I aren't together anymore, that I was free to be with him, he'd be, at the very least, _pleased_. So why was he still acting so damn indifferent? His gaze was cool, so unlike the way he looked at me that night in his bedroom.

Maybe he _didn't _feel the same anymore. I waited too long, ignored the signs and hesitated too much and now I have to suffer the consequences.

And when I didn't speak, he nodded and began to leave. "Right, okay then, see you around."

Oh hell, fuck this and fuck the consequences. No _way_ did I come all the way out here to be left in the dust.

"Goddamnit Freddy!" I yelled at his back, stomping my sandaled foot on the floor in my frustration. "I'm trying to apologize here, please don't make this any more difficult than it already is!"

For the second time in a span of approximately five minutes, he stopped and turned to face me. Only this time, the mocking expression on his face was gone and was replaced by a look of surprise and curiosity. His gaze had softened considerably, and he actually had the decency to be at least look curious to what I had to say. I swallowed hard, what was left of my pride going down my throat with the saliva.

"I'm sorry, okay?" I blurted out before I lost my nerve yet again. With another tentative step toward Freddy, I plowed on. "I'm sorry for everything I said that day in your room and I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you when you have been nothing but good to me. I never wanted to push you away, believe me, but it's just…I don't know. You know me, I'm the huge control freak with a stick up my ass, remember? I'm all schedules and itineraries and routines and tight plans. And you…god…I never even _thought_ of including you in my plans and--"

"I already _know _that," he cut in, the icy look returning. The 'not in the plan' reference was particularly painful for him to hear.

"But you were right. I am afraid," I went on, ignoring Freddy's sudden coldness. He seemed surprised at the admission I made. Yeah well, who wouldn't be? I, Summer Hathaway, just admitted to Freddy Jones that _he_ was _right_. "I'm afraid of things that go beyond my control, afraid of taking risks. I hate being spontaneous and I freak when things don't go exactly as I want them to. I've always been so terrified of going all carpe diem that I just…I failed to realize that not all things can be predicted…and…"

My voice was a broken whisper as I gazed up at him, searching his icy blues for a sign…any sign that he's forgiven me.

And any sign that he still loves me.

"And maybe…just maybe…what I really, truly want is something that was never ought to be predicted in the first place…something that had been in front of me all along, ready to kick my ass for being so stupid." I said that with a bit of a difficulty. That damned cologne made breathing seem so complicated.

One more step toward him and I was close enough to reach out and curl my fingers into the fabric of his dress shirt and feel the steady beating of his heart again. But I didn't touch him. I wanted to so badly but I just couldn't yet. I had to know…

Freddy stayed silent as he raised his hand and brushed his fingers ever so slightly against my jawline. It was a very light touch, but it was enough to make the hairs on my nape stand on end. I took a deep shuddering breath, as I had a sudden urge to lick my lips.

"Well?" he asked. He was piercing me with a gaze so smoldering that I swear I'll go _insane_ if he didn't kiss me soon… "What _do _you want, Summer?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?!" I cried, pounding my fist on his chest. He's trying to make me say it out loud just for the heck of it. The little asshole…This is humiliating.

"Yeah, you know I'm really kind of a moron so…" he shrugged, leaning in just a tiny bit closer to whisper the next few words, his mouth brushing against my ear, his breath warming the sensitive skin there. "You're gonna have to spell it out for me."

That was all the invitation I needed.

With a final surge of courage, I lifted myself up on the tips of my toes to close the space between us. And then I claimed his mouth, kissing him fully with anything and everything I had, no inhibitions, no restrictions nor lies. No more acting. No more waiting. Just…no more.

And as I let my arms drape around his neck, his hand reached up to cup my face and tangled in my hair, the other found its way around my waist and pulled me closer. Kissing fiercely back, he moved to lean back against the bar and pulled me with him so that I was leaning onto his chest and his roughened hands were running down my almost bare sides and back. Bodies pressed deeper and I could hear sighs and occasional moans as I savored the moment, happy that I could finally kiss him without contrition. His touch was familiar and his kisses tasted of vodka and him. Never mind the gawking bartender, he's probably too high to remember this embarrassing display of long due affection anyway. It felt so good, to finally be kissing him just because I could. And more importantly, just because I wanted to.

After a while I smiled against his lips before I broke away from him, leaning back just enough for me to see his face. The anger's completely gone now, even though he looked somewhat disappointed for the sudden interruption of a rather promising makeout session.

"Isn't it obvious, Freddy?" I whispered finally letting him in on my little secret, the one I kept so well that I even managed to fool myself. "I want _you._"

He smiled at the revelation and twisted a lock of my dark hair around his finger.

"Just how much _do_ you want me, Summer Hathaway?" he asked seriously, keeping his arms casually around my waist, his hand tracing lazy patterns on the small of my back. Had I been standing alone, I might've fallen over.

"_What_?"

"How far are you willing to go to get me?" He just looked so goddamned _smug _that I had to restrain myself from ramming my knee into his groin. The cocky ass, he just couldn't resist rubbing it in my face didn't he?

However, despite the scowl that threatened to invade my features, Freddy smiled. It was a smile that lifted one corner of his mouth in a teasing manner. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, one that I haven't seen in quite a long time now. There's my sign right there.

'_Gotta lighten up there, tight-ass,' _I heard my inner self say, sounding awfully like the blond drummer himself. A chuckle bubbled up my chest and escaped me and I decided to play along to his little game.

"Wouldn't _you_ like to find out?" I said, tugging at his collar and pressed another kiss on his lips. He began to lean back in to deepen the kiss but I disentangled myself from him before he had the chance. I headed toward the exit and twirled around just before I stepped out onto the deck. Freddy looked a bit nonplussed for a moment, trying to figure out what just happened before he chuckled.

"Impressive," Freddy clapped his hands in mock-applause. "If I didn't know you any better, I'd say you're trying to seduce me Tinkerbell."

Hearing him say my old nickname made me like my insides were made of something light and fluffy and warm. And the fact that his tight grip on my hand as we walked down the deck made my heart beat like an excited school girl's did not exactly alleviate the rising levels of giddiness. I felt like it's my first time to hold a boy's hand all over again and it's embarrassing. But at this point, I couldn't care any less.

"Not so dumb after all are you?" I smirked, feeling the heavy weight of the past few weeks sliding off my shoulders. "So. Your cabin or mine?"

"Yours," was Freddy's automatic reply as we went toward the stairway. "I don't want Marco's stupid Warhammer toys distracting me the whole time. Those things creep me out, they stare at you like they know something you don't."

I lifted an eyebrow, suppressing a laugh. "They're _action figures, _Freddy."

"I _know_, that's why they're so creepy. I fucking hate action figures." I felt the shudder run through him.

"Don't tell me you never played with action figures when you were younger."

He shrugged. "Yeah well, I was more of a water gun and paintball kind of kid."

I laughed for what felt like the first time in a long while. How could I have forgotten how bizarrely amusing Freddy's juvenility is? "Fine, my cabin it is. I'm sure Katie won't mind being kicked out for a couple of hours, she owes me anyway."

"But wait." Freddy stopped walking suddenly, and I looked up at him, wondering what was wrong.

"Can we like, stop by the buffet table first?" he asked me in earnest, looking slightly sheepish as his stomach gave an audible growl. "I'm going to need my energy if we're going to have a major makeout session, and I haven't eaten since yesterday. Unless you count that disgusting thing Katie called a sandwich."

"Oh," I said, not bothering to hide the cringe. Katie's food preferences these days were not what normal people would call appetizing. "What'd she put in this time? Wasabe and jelly?"

"Worse. _Herring._"

"Yeesh. I feel your pain," I cringed once more then proceeded to steer him in the direction of the dining hall. "C'mon. Let's get you something to eat."

We walked back into the dining hall, and he glanced at me as though asking if I was sure about this. I knew what he was thinking. Our friends' reactions should be interesting.

Some of Dewey's guests were standing in a circle, cheering on one of the few bachelors (a bar owner and one of Dewey's old friends) while he slid a lacy, ribbony garter higher up one of the bridesmaid's (a second cousin of Carrie's) thigh. The School of Rock, however, were in their own world around their table, completely ignoring everything else as they fooled around and caught each other up.

A brief silence fell over the group when we walked in. All eyes went directly to our entwined hands before they glanced uncomfortably at whoever sat next to them. Their eyes plainly read 'Shit, I effing _knew _it' or 'Yeah boy, this is going to be awkward'.

Zack, much to everyone else's surprise, merely ignored their reactions and chuckled, holding up a hand to Freddy for a high five. The others watched, waiting. Alicia didn't even try to be subtle when she nudged Tomika.

Freddy rolled his eyes but laughed all the same, and slapped Zack's hand once, gave it a squeeze before the two of them knocked their knuckles together and lastly, pretended to shoot the other with their outstretched pointer and middle fingers. It was their handshake and everyone was pretty relieved to see that Zack was okay with the new…ermm…_arrangements_. Katie then gave me a knowing smile and I smiled right back.

The awkward looks were replaced by grins and laughter. Marta even went so far as to heave a relieved sigh. The tension lifted quickly; it was as if it was never even really there.

Leonard's reaction was the most unexpected of all as he gave a loud hoot.

"Hah!" he said, slamming a hand on Frankie's back. "You owe me twenty bucks, dude!"

"I _told_ you not to call him on it," Eleni nudged disgruntled Frankie's shoulder unhelpfully as she watched him hand over a tightly crumpled twenty dollar bill.

"You fuckers were _betting _on us?" Freddy demanded in mock-indignation. He went on a major (expletive-rich) banter with Frankie and Leonard's betting secret. Frankie and Leonard gave their pastries and slices of wedding cake to Freddy to placate him. Freddy accepted the pastries albeit very begrudgingly. He was in no position to give up ham and cheese croissants, now is he? He _was_ hungry. Still, he kept mumbling through a half-full mouth about dumbasses betting on his personal life like he was a goddamned race horse. The whole thing was rather funny, in my opinion. Then again, everything was rather funny to me at this point.

I caught Billy's gaze from across the table and gave him a shrug and a smile.

"Ugh. Finally," was the only thing he could say, complete with an eye roll. After people got over the initial shock of seeing me and Freddy together, they averted their prying eyes to Zack and Katie. The two guitarists turned redder by the second while everyone barraged them with curious questions.

It was only when Freddy and I snuck away in silence, escaping before our friends decides to give us a third degree (it was easy once all the attention were turned to Zack and Katie) did I really understand what Billy meant.

And as Freddy pinned me back against the door of Cabin 7, his hands working on the straps of my dress and his mouth met mine, the simplicity and utter relief that that one word provided sank in, and I couldn't agree more. I sighed, satisfied in every possible way.

"_Finally_."

_Fin_

* * *

**Authors Notes: **

Oh. My. Effing. God. I finished it. I – actually – _finished it! _Can you believe it? Oh god, I finished! It's done! Yeeeaaaahaaaaaaaw!!! jumps up and does victory dance

Eherm…yeah…Anyway. I do hope the final chapter is enough to make the story go out with a bang. I wanted to wait until I got 30 reviews for the last chapter, but it didn't look like that was happening soon so…yeah. Here it is.

Oh Christ, thank you to all of my beautiful readers, most especially my lovely, lovely reviewers. I couldn't thank you all enough for the support, criticism and encouragement. You all rock, and you deserve virtual brownies. throws out brownies

It's the last chapter, m'dears, therefore a last chance to lemme know what you thought of What You Least Expect. **Review me, hm'kay?** Smoochies!

_**Reviewer Shoutouts:  
**_**ilovestrawberries:** mixed emotions, huh? I know the feeling. Hope you liked this last chap!  
**writingrox12:** and I chose…1A! Duh. Haha, there's no contest babe. I love FS too much to _not _get them together after all that drama. Thanks for reviewing!  
**NathanScott23:** hee, sorry for missing my deadline for this last chap. But it's up now, and OTH is also up and running, so I guess we're all good.  
**Nanners-77:** Heeeeey, no fair, I'm all done and where's your update? That boyfriend of yours must be more distracting than you're letting on. Winkwinknudgenudge. Haha.  
**ellabella:** I'm flattered you chose to review me, though. It helped keep me motivated. Thanks so much for taking the time to review!**  
Joua197:** I couldn't turn Zack to fishfood hun. Katie's baby won't have a father, I'm not that cruel. Hee. Thanks for reviewing!**  
Samurai Angel:** Easy there. The story ended rather nicely, didn't it? So no need for more violence. Harhar. Pirates 3 was goddamned awesome, btw.  
**Noah&Allie:** Dawson's Creek eh…good or bad? Heh, you guys tell me. Weirdly enough, I've never seen a single episode of Dawson's Creek. I was a nerdy kid, I was happy with cartoons and anime. Hee.  
**debbiegirl:** I already did.:)  
**Kisshu-luv:** I _know, _Freddy's just so…sigh. Hee. Thanks for reviewing!  
**sunthorn:** Polar opposites...heh, that's what I named my FS community. Thanks so much for reviewing!  
**CorruptedInk:** I hope I gave you the kickass frummer you wanted.;p It's really kinda sad to wrap this up, but still…it's a huge accomplishment. Love it. Now it's my turn to wait for you guys to update…so get to writing, huh?  
**wyverna:** il yr writing too, therefore I want to see more of it. Come on, come on, update faster…! Hee.  
**Carryin'daBannerGoil:** Relax hun, you got the update. Hope you liked it as much as I do!  
**EpisodeSkywalker:** I'm glad you reviewed though, it reminds me that people are still reading this thing. Thanks for reviewing!

Grr...the other review replies got lost in the update. Here they are:  
**Lalika K:** Aww, thanks so much for all the kind words, you make me blush. :)  
**mystic fire demon:** Haha writing that Summer hurting Freddy part was particularly painful, I have to say. But I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing!  
**ERclaireER:** Thanks for the compliments, I'm not sure I deserve them but thank you. Well, angst usually requires more creatviity when it comes to the wording, which is why I tried to go all out, sort of. Glad you liked it!  
**i am not a chipmunk:** DAMN YOU TOO. Heh. It always takes you so long to update, hmph! Haha, but I'm glad you updated, even though it was kind of short yet again. Do finish your story, pretty please? Thankies!  
**SMilEoUTLoUD:** Thank you, thank you!  
**LivingStoneLily:** Man, it would be SO COOL if this was turned into a mini series...sighs...a girl can dream can't she? Haha, sorry for the delayed update. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Sianne Kirsty:** As you've probably seen, I granted your (and everyone else's, including my own) wish!Thanks for reviewing!  
**wateva101:** hun you can always improve. Just read a lot, and practice writing more. It's like what Neil Gaiman said, you have to keep writing and writing until all the bad stuff leaks out. After that, the good stuff will come naturally. Or something like that. Now, about that sequel, I'm so sorry but there would be no sequel for WYLE. I don't think I'll have the time to make another full story, now that I'm in my senior year. (gah, student council, class officer and yearbook committee, do the math) But I might do a whole shtload of oneshots, so watch out for them. Thanks for reviewing!  
**Calli:** Such dedication. Tsk. Haha, thanks for the review!


	22. Epilogue

**What You Least Expect  
- endymion -**

**Disclaimer:**School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.

_Note:_Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV.

On with the story!

* * *

**.::Epilogue::.**

_**Billy**_

I suppose few people would protest when I say that the beach is _the_ best place to be canoodling with your hubby. Forget sultry music and scented candles; the sound of waves crashing and the saltine breeze is just the thing to create the perfect ambiance for romance.

Take it from me, who is currently very much pleased with being snuggled up to my lovely beau, Gordon. We were both comfortably seated on a beach towel a few feet away from the shoreline, both of us in board shorts, with me beside him, his arm around my shoulders as I leaned into him.

It's one of those quiet moments in between conversations; you know, the kind that has you talking nonstop about something for one minute, and you're completely silent the next. We've been lazily (and somewhat flirtatiously) discussing my ideas for a line of swimwear and summer clothing and possible themes for the website he's supposed to design for a new music label when we lulled into silence once more, just soaking up the afternoon sun.

"You okay?" he murmured in my ear. I shrugged and pulled his arm tighter around me. He began to plant kisses on my ear and down my neck and I sighed contentedly, snuggling closer to him. Oglers and tourists be damned, I actually _like_ these affectionate moments with Gordon. We rarely get privacy lately, and we grab every opportunity we get to…well…yeah, you're intelligent kids, you get it.

Yup, Fort de Soto beach of Florida is doing a fine job on the romance department thus far.

Not that we're here just for the PDA. It's a school gathering, kind of. The college organized this event exclusively for their students because Culvert is celebrating its 75th year of existence. We all had to pay our own flights and/or road trips here, but the college paid for the three-star lodging and is sponsoring a few events like beach raves and sportsfests. Who knew the college was this loaded, huh?

Gordon just moved so he could kiss me on the mouth when we were both _rudely_ interrupted by two squabbling voices.

"Well _I _didn't want to play the stupid game in the first place."

Summer appeared in my line of sight quite suddenly, snapping at an irate-looking Freddy at her heels. Gordon cursed under his breath and pulled slightly back so we could make room for the newly-arrived couple.

"Beach volleyball didn't go too well, I take it?" I said, raising an eyebrow when Summer and Freddy plopped down on the blanket, glowering at each other. On a whim that made absolutely no sense, they've decided earlier to join a couples' volleyball game with our other blockmates. _Why _they joined in is a mystery to me; neither of them is particularly athletic.

"We lost," Summer announced gloomily, adjusting of the graphic blue bikini top that she was wearing under her sarong. It's such a pretty color and I'm _so_ glad I chose that for her. She was insisting on wearing her horrid hot pink one piece that she's been using since she was in _sixth __grade_ to this gorgeous beach. I wouldn't let her of course; it would be a crime against nature.

"Yeah and it's _her_ fault," said Freddy, who did not look at all pleased with their defeat.

Summer's jaw dropped in indignation. "How is it _my_ fault that you can't spike to save your life?"

"I can spike _perfectly_, thanksverymuch," Freddy shot back. "It's _you_ who can't volley _inside_ the court's boundaries!"

"Says the one who can't serve _past_ the net! And_ I'm_ supposed to be the short one!"

Gordon and I shared a look and promptly rolled our eyes. Just another exciting yet impossibly annoying day in the life of Summer Hathaway and Freddy Jones.

"They never get tired of it, do they?" Gordon said, partly in amazement, and partly in frustration.

"I think they never will," I agreed.

When they officially got together about a year ago, I thought the bickering would be toned down a notch or something. Ugh, was I ever wrong. If anything, the bickering stayed as it was, if not worse. They still annoy the hell out of each other, only now they also have all the, shall we say…_benefits_ of being in an exclusive relationship. And if you think they're noisy out in the open, you should hear them in _bed._ God, the two of them are so darn _loud,_ it's a wonder that the people down the street didn't complain.

_No _I do not have voyeuristic tendencies. I just happen to sleep in the room next to Summer's and let's just say that the walls aren't exactly soundproof. And Freddy hasn't even moved in with us yet! Just imagine what would happen if he does. Yeesh.

But I guess I've gotten used to them long before they admitted into having a thing for each other, so it wasn't all that difficult to tolerate them.

"How do they _do_ it?" Gordon suddenly commented and I glanced up at him, wondering what he was talking about. He gestured toward the couple beside us, looking as mystified as he sounded.

I found them sitting closer together, glares altogether gone. Summer sat leaning on Freddy's chest, the said boy's legs on her either side. Summer laughed at an observation Freddy made. Their interlaced hands rested on Summer's sarong covered stomach and it seemed that they weren't aware of their surroundings anymore, just each other's presence.

Now that right there is another thing about them that puzzles me so, and I swear it will puzzle me to my dying day. How they could go from being all snarky to sweeter-than-a-toothache is a phenomenon of the universe.

Maybe it's because they're both completely smitten with each other. It's no secret that even though they drive each other up the wall, they're crazy in love. I mean, just by looking at them, anyone could see that they're positively _whipped_. They could fight about the most mundane things, sure, but that's more of a pastime than anything else. They'll both die from withdrawal symptoms if they don't get their daily fix of sarcasm from each other.

I also never thought two severely opposite people could be so in tune with each other. Like the way Freddy always understood when Summer had her rare spells of depression about the breakup with Zack. Freddy knew that Summer wasn't regretting that she broke up with the said guitarist, just that she had self doubts because of the reason for the breakup. He gave her the space she needed, and was just generally understanding about the whole thing. _So _un-Freddy-like.

And then there's the way Summer always knew when Freddy was uncomfortable with something, which happens about as often as snow in Southern California. For instance, that time when we went to see Zack and Katie when the child was born. Katie was still in recovery, so only Zack was there to show them the kid through the Nursery window. Summer had been gushing about how adorable the child is, and how much he looked like Zack. To me, Freddy looked unaffected by the entire deal. A bit quiet, but he seemed all right, even smiling. Out of nowhere, Summer just grabbed his hand and stood on tiptoe to give him a lingering kiss, mouthing an I love you before she turned her attention back to Baby Girl Mooneyham. Now I know Summer is never one to support public displays of affection so I knew she did it to assure Freddy of something. After that, Freddy seemed to brighten up and was soon back to his normal noisy self.

Kinda like the way he is now.

"—and really, why name a kid after a goddamned Incubus song anyway?" he was saying.

Summer let out a long-suffering sigh. "It's their kid, Freddy. They can name it whatever they want to."

"Yeah, but _Anna Molly? _That's just _wrong_ Sum, you know it is."

"Well, Katie had always been a big Incubus fan and Zack never was able to say no to Katie."

"Still doesn't make it a good name. You do realize it sounds like _anomaly_ don't you?"

Sensing that Freddy would not back down from the argument, Summer just shook her head and looked down toward the shore. A familiar figure was quickly walking – almost running – along the edge of the water.

Gordon was first to recognize him. "Hey isn't that that Andrew Kohlberg dude?"

"_Oooh,_ Summer's old boyfriend." This came from Freddy. Notice the immaturity.

"Ugh, please. I do not want to be reminded of that sleazeball," Summer frowned, elbowing Freddy on the stomach. "He never actually talked to me again after the Halloween party anyway. I think you really scared him off."

"Well I _can _be pretty intimidating," Freddy smirked, looking very pleased with himself.

"Intimidating, right," I snorted, resisting the urge to throw a handful of sand at him. "To two-year-olds and puppies, maybe."

"Real funny, William," Freddy glared and I smiled right back.

"He's walking pretty fast, though," Summer commented. Sure enough, there he was, breaking into a full-fledged run, looking nervously over his shoulder every once in a while. "I wonder what he's running away from."

As soon as Andrew went past, another person came into view. It was a girl. A very pale girl in a black one piece, her straight black hair pulled into a ponytail. She seemed to be following Andrew. I squinted to see her face better and immediately regretted it.

I know that girl. Seriously, I _know _that girl…more intimately (ugh, _eww_) than I'd like to admit. I only saw her once in my entire life and never thought I'd see her again. Well…I didn't actually know her name but at the time, the thought of asking her name didn't cross my mind. But as I look more closely, the memories all came back…

She…well let's put it this way…she's the only girl to ever see Billy Junior.

Okay, okay, here's the scoop. I met her at a summer art camp of sorts. She was into painting and photography, and I was in design. I was straight, believe it or not. A little confused, but I called myself straight. There was a farewell party. We got positively smashed, and she went up to my room. I was a young, drunk virgin and she was drunk, a little stoned and willing. So we did it

But the thing is…she freaked the hell out of me. Like, majorly. I'm not going into details, because the experience is not something I wish to recall, but she's actually part of the reason why I realized I'll never be into women.

Now I'm gay, and I love it. If given a chance, I think I'll thank that nameless freak for turning me into a fairy.

"Frilly, are you checking that girl _out_?" Freddy followed my gaze and grinned. "Not really my type, but we all have our tastes."

"What_ev_ Wilfred," I snapped. "I don't swing to that side of the dance floor, _thanksverymuch_."

"You did so once," he went on, a sneer plastered annoyingly on his face. "You can do it again."

I would've kicked him in his happy place if Summer hadn't gone to intervene.

"Don't be an ass, Freddy," she scolded, jerking her head in Gordon's direction. Gordon, however, didn't seem to be listening at all. He kept staring at the girl even as she went past.

Deep breaths, Billy. You are an understanding lover; you _will_ not smack him in the head for looking at a girl.

"You guys, am I the only one here who thinks she looks familiar?" he asked, turning to me.

I paled. Nobody knew about _her_ but me…right? Starting to panic here, people! That little rendezvous with her is something I'm not proud of, and I do not want anybody else knowing about it.

"Of course she looks familiar," Summer interjected, chuckling softly. "You may not recognize her without all the white makeup and eyeliner…but that's Olivia Warren."

"_What?_" I'm not sure whether it was Freddy who said that, or if it was me. Maybe we both said it. We were both shocked, after all. Saying it's a small world isn't even enough to describe this.

But I guess knowing that my catastrophic first time was with Olivia Warren, it made sense that I'd sworn off women forever.

Then again, maybe I'm the only one who was shocked. Freddy was just kind of traumatized by all the stalking Olivia did to him. (Eww, isn't it creepy that we were both Olivia's type?) On reflex, he yelped and ducked his head to hide behind Summer.

"Oh, don't flatter yourself too much," Summer rolled her eyes, nudging Freddy off her shoulder. "If you hadn't noticed, she's over you and Andrew's her new target."

"Aww, baby, no need to be jealous of her. You know I love you," he said in a mock-soothing tone and dropped a kiss on Summer's shoulder blade.

Summer smiled, looking every bit contented. "Of course you do."

Within seconds, Olivia and Andrew were forgotten. Freddy and Summer had now engaged in a vicious thumb war and I was back in Gordon's arms. I wondered for a moment whether I should tell them about what happened at art camp.

On second thought…_Nah_. If they ever ask, I'd tell them, but right now they didn't really need to know that. It's all in the past.

And right now, I think our present -- and possibly our future -- is just perfect.

* * *

**A/N:** SURPRISE!!! 

How'd you like that, huh? Billy's POV! I've always wanted to write him so now I have, and I'm happy with my work. And _surprise,_it was in the 'I've Never' chapter that Billy has done it with the opposite sex, I just never mentioned who it was. Just thought it'd be a funny little twist.

But before I forget... _Where are the updates?? _Where are the new stories? Where is the Frummer love? _Where is everybody?_ The fandom is dead once again, people, do something.

I've been gone a pretty long time, but I still love to get _**REVIEWS!**_ So put that dandy Review button to use and tell me what you think!


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